Angry Communities Disrupt Production of 90,000 bpd of Crude Oil in OML 30

Hundreds of angry protesters from OML 30 on Tuesday barricaded all accesses into the premises of Ughelli Pump Station in Delta State being operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL), threatening daily production of about 90,000 barrels of crude oil output.

The protesters stormed the premises of the oil company in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state as early as 7 a.m., chanting solidary songs and preventing staff from resuming work.

The placards-wielding protesters, mostly aged women and youths, vowed to occupy the premises of the major oil facility until the management of the company in Lagos address them and pay attention to their long-standing grievances.

The protesters were demanding, among others, the immediate release of the agreed development funds for 2016, 2018 and 2019 to the Community Development Board (CDB); commence the proper employment of graduates and other categories of labourers from the 112 communities that are hosts to OML 30 facilities; payment of 2017 and 2018 community salaries as well as the immediate relocation of the operational headquarters of the company to core operational areas of OML 30.

Speaking at the scene of the protest, the Chairman of President-Generals’ Forum of OML 30 communities, Chief Emuobosa Ohare, said the communities had been agitating for their rights for the past five years and that the company had refused to listen to them, adding that the host communities had resolved that they would not end the protest until all issues were addressed.

He said to guarantee operations of OML 30, Heritage Energy must ensure it pays all outstanding 2014 to 2016 scholarship funds to beneficiaries as well as commence employment of graduates and other categories of labourer from the communities without delay.

Chairman of the OML 30 Community Development Board (CDB), Hon Morris Idiovwa, attributed the situation to the failure of the company to act timely, and charged Heritage Energy and her JV partners to do more for the people as well as give them the assurance that his board and the leaderships of the communities would continue to engage the people for dialogue.

"It is indeed unfortunate that we have to come back to this sort of experience, where the companies would wait until the people of the communities get impatient with them and react in anger.

“We know how much efforts we have put into restraining the people from across the communities, but the company has not really helped our case because what these people are looking out for is what is due to their communities and people is adequately and promptly remitted.

"We will continue to talk to our people throughout the communities to continue allowing us to interfere on their behalf and get proper beneficial results for them,” he said.

 

When contacted, the General Manager, Community Relations of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited (HEOSL), Mr. Sylvester Okoh, said he was sure that the issue would be resolved promptly, noting that some of the issues raised had been addressed already.