We will not vacate Chevron Facilities, until Management of the company, NNPCL addresses our demands - Ugborodo Indigenes vow

The people of Ugborodo community in Warri South -West Local Government Area of Delta state, have continued their protest against Chevron Nigeria Limited, over perceived neglect and marginalisation in terms of employment and non-implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, particularly as it relates to constitution of Host Communities' Development Trust, HCDT.

Fresh Angle International, can report that the  protesters, who occupied Chevron facilities for the second day in a row Tuesday December 16, vowed  that until  top management of Chevron Nigeria Limited, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, visit  Ugborodo to address their demands, they would vacate the company facilities.

The protesters,  comprising old persons and mostly youths, bore placards with inscriptions such as "Ugborodo demands her 70% direct chevron slots; "Chevron JV and EGTL belongs to Ugborodo community; "Follow community local content law; "Chevron EGTL PITSTOP please employ our indigenes; "EGTL PITSTOP project must recognise Ugborodo as host; "Federal and State Govt come to our aid," among others.

Addressing reporters, the Chairman of Ugborodo Management Committee, Mr Emmanuel Onuwaje, noted that for over 60 years of Chevron's operations in the community, they had not carried out any significant project in the community.

"We are not going anywhere to have a meeting with them, we will stay here till they come. We are appealing to the Federal Government to prevail in the issue," he said.

Also speaking, Secretary-General of the Itsekiri National Youth Council, Hon. Raymond Pira, lamented the irony of being in the "middle of affluence and everybody is living in abject poverty." 

Hon. Raymond Pira, speaking

He said: "In this yard, thousands are working, but there have been complete neglect of Ugborodo community. No jobs, no contracts. They pay us less than those brought from outside, they call them Lekki workers. They bring people from outside in droves to work here, and we are not employed. Chevron has to employ us, we need blue badge, direct employment. 

"We are calling on the management of Chevron on the issue of PIA to implement that of Ikpere Host Communities' Development Trust.
They are contravening the Local Content Law that provides some percentage for us. We are saying that until they attend to us, we are not going to leave here.

National President of Ugborodo Youths, Wilson Ejeh, said , "we have had challenges with Chevron  for decades in terms of electricity supply, employment   and contracts. We keep fighting and protesting, no response. Ugborodo is  peaceful community, we don't like violence. "We have sent countless letters to them ( referring to Chevron Nigeria Limited)  but got no response."

Wilson Ejeh, addressing newsmen

The National Vice Chairman, Laju Udonju, lamented that despite hosting several Chevron facilities such as tank farm and the EGTL, nothing tangible to show in terms of development. "There's is a project , PITSTOP, going on here with at least 10,000 persons brought in, yet our people are not adequately engaged. 

"We want top management personnel of Chevron and the NNPC GCEO to come here to address us. We won't leave our community elsewhere to enter into any meeting. We need them to come here and see our plights. Because the people here don't want their top management to know the politics they are playing here.

"We have made our demands known to them on pen and paper, for over five months now, but they have kept a blind eye over them.
"We don't have light, we need portable water, we need empowerment, we need employment for our people," he stressed.

Some of the protesters, during day-two of the protest

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