We shall resist attempt to divide us with pittance payments, Itsekiri RDC contractors, warn in fresh ultimatum

Angry indigenous contractors to Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC, have vowed to resist any attempt to divide them with they termed pittance payments, saying: “Gimmick and ploy to break our ranks by attempting to do selective payment, because they want to perpetually pin down the huge IRDC fund for their private use, shall be resisted.”

The contractors, in a strong-worded statement sent exclusively to Fresh Angle International this morning, Friday May 19, averred: “We have thus extended our ultimatum from Wednesday 17th May to Tuesday 23rd May 2023.”

Recall that the contractors, had issued an earlier ultimatum in a communique issued April 24, highlighting how many of them used their houses, cars and landed properties as collateral, to secure loans from banks and money lenders, to enable them execute the jobs awarded to them by the leadership of IRDC July 13, 2022.

In the communique, they noted: “We are giving Chevron seven days ultimatum to immediately do everything necessary to pay us or risk shutting down their facilities, since they enjoy subjecting community contractors to untold hardship. We are also demanding an immediate upward review of the contract value, due to the variation caused by inflation and delay in payments, as stipulated in the contract terms.”

In the strong-worded statement signed by the Chairman, Paul W. Moju and Secretary, Odume James, of the contractors’ forum and e-sent to This Warri Based International Online Newspaper, today, they declared: “In an emergency meeting we held on Tuesday 16th May, 2023 in Warri, we insist on carrying on with our protest against Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL in the various fields within our communities and cripple their operations, just as they (Chevron) have inflicted unbearable hardship and loss of valuable properties, which many of us, used as guarantee for the loans we secured to execute the projects. 

“The multinational oil and gas giant as well as its operatives, keep manipulating the funds in clandestine manners with their bank cohorts, by putting up all forms of flat lies to suppress the utilization of the fund to pay contractors for projects done in all the communities.

“We recall all the good effort of the Delta State Government through the Office of the Hon. Commissioner for Oil and Gas to resolve this issue and avoid shut down of Chevron's operations, but for the evil machinations of Chevron.

“The one-week grace follows further pleas from IRDC that we give Chevron a little more time to clean-up their paper for payment. We hope they are sincere and not buying time for this present Government to fade away. We are allowing this extension, not because we trust Chevron, but to respect our leaders in IRDC.”

According to the contractors, one-week grace, was initially given to Chevron Nigeria Limited, to pay them, following the intervention of Delta State Government, at a meeting held in Asaba, May 2.

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