Nembe—Youths and other critical stakeholders of Kpongbokiri community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Thursday embarked on a warning protest against the operations of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, popularly called Agip, in the community.
The indigenes who carried various placards during the demonstration threatened to shut down operations of the pipeline manifold situated in their terrain if the oil firm failed to negotiate with the community leadership on their demands.
Mangrovepen.ng gathered that the oil facility is jointly owned and operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Agip.
The protesters, among other things, lamented alleged poor welfare and non-compliance by the oil companies with the agreement reached with the community.
They asked Agip to be alive to its corporate social responsibility including the provision of drinkable water, electricity, renovation of the town hall, piling of their shore, construction of a modern toilet facility, as well as vocational training and scholarships for indigenes in the community, among others.
The youth president of Kpongbokiri, Barr. Allen Jonah, while speaking to newsmen during the protest, explained that the protest was a result of the oil firm’s failure to respond to some of the community’s demands.
One of such demands is the security patrol and community service contract which Agip has failed to fulfill, he said.
In his words: “The reason we are embarking on this warning protest is to draw Agip’s attention to several demands we have earlier made but they failed to respond to.
“We have asked them for a security patrol and community service contract. The chances they gave Kpongbokiri are incomplete and we’ve written to them to give us the complete chance for that particular contract.
“We’ve written several letters but they’ve refused to do that. That particular contract covers an expanse of 11.3km, covering Obama down to the Brass River manifold.
Jonah who doubles as general secretary of the community further said, “Another demand we made was that as natives of Kpongbokiri community, we want to ensure that all Agip facilities in our environment are safe.
“So we asked them to pay all outstanding debts they owe the community and to award a bush-clearing contract to clear the manifold surroundings but to no avail.”
Similarly, Mr. Daukoru Joel, Ikierimiekuma Ishmael and Hon. Suoyo Joel who are all stakeholders of Kpongbokiri community in their separate remarks expressed anger at the firm’s failure to honour the agreement reached with the community.
They alleged that Agip has failed to pay land rent since commencing operations in 1971.
They called on government regulatory agencies, relevant NGOs and other stakeholders in the petroleum sector to prevail on NNPCL and NAOC to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the damages caused by their operations over the years and make adequate compensation to the community.
Meanwhile, all efforts to get the reaction of the company proved abortive while filing this report.
