Angry youths on Wednesday shut down the OB-OB gas plant belonging to
the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Omoku, the headquarters of
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The angry youths said they decided to shut down the facility when
NAOC refused to meet and interface with them on issues affecting them,
including employment and the need to implement the content of an
existing Memorandum of Understanding.
The youths, who chanted war songs while they formed a blockade around
the main entrance to the facility, vowed that the gas plant would
remain shut until NOAC began to do the right thing by listening to them.
The youths, who chanted war songs while they formed a blockade around
the main entrance to the facility, vowed that the gas plant would
remain shut until NOAC began to do the right thing by listening to them.
Vice President of Omoku Youth Association, Mr. Emeka Ababiri, told
our correspondent in a telephone interview that his members began to
picket the point where the facility was located in Omoku at about 6am.
Ababiri explained that the youth association had written series of
letters to the management of NAOC on the need to have a meeting, where
they could discuss the way forward, adding that the oil company failed
to honour any of the invitations.
He said, “The OB-OB gas plant belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil
Company in Omoku was shut down at about 6am today by Omoku youths. We
are angry because we do not like the way we have been treated by the oil
company.
“Agip is situated in Ogbaland, including Omoku, but the company has
refused to associate with us, the Omoku Youth Association. We have
written series of letters to them for us to interface and look for the
way forward.
“Some of the company’s responsibilities under the Memorandum of
Understanding like road rehabilitation and youth employment have been
abandoned and we believe it is time for us to take a bold step and force
the company to listen to us.”
Ababiri pointed out that the lingering youth unemployment was
responsible for the high rate of crime in the area, adding that no youth
would have time to engage in militancy or other forms of crime if he
was gainfully employed.
“If the youth works from 6am to 6pm, he would not have time for crime
because at the end of the month, he would have to earn a living. That
is why we have been writing NAOC to meet with us so that we will discuss
the issues and find a way out.
“Unfortunately, they (NAOC) have refused to honour our invitation.
That is why we have shut down their facility. The gas plant will remain
like this until the company decides to interface with us,” the Omoku
youth association vice president added.
He, however, explained that though the management of the company had
shown its readiness to begin negotiation with the youths of Omoku, the
meeting would no longer commence on Wednesday.
“We have decided that we would meet with them tomorrow because
holding the meeting today is no longer possible. They are now ready to
talk to us, but negotiation proper will start tomorrow (Thursday).
However, an official of NAOC, told our correspondent through the
telephone that the firm was not prepared to speak immediately to the
media on the matter.
Source:The Punch
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
EmoticonEmoticon