Protesting women and elders of Ugborodo community, Warri South local government area of Delta State, who had laid siege at Chevron premises for the past six days to protest the federal government’s alleged neglect and failure to build shore protections in their communities, yesterday said they would leave the place as a mark of respect to the Delta State governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The protesters said their resolve to end the protest was as a result of the peace talks initiated by Mr. Uduaghan in Warri on Tuesday, following an earlier invasion of the premises by protesting women from the community.
The town elders had occupied the premises since Saturday last week, when they staged a peaceful rally to draw the attention of government to what they described as the total neglect of the area.
The meeting, which kicked off about 3.30pm at the governor’s office annex in Warri had in attendance, members of the Ugborodo Trust, members of the Itsekiri Regional Council, officials of Chevron Nigeria Limited, as well as security agencies such as the Joint Task Force, JTF, the police, and the State Security Service.
Mr. Uduaghan told the Ugborodo delegation that by their resolve to end the protest and stop further occupation of the Chevron facility, they have strengthened him to assist in fast tracking the resolution of the issues raised by the community.
“I am happy that you agreed to call off the protest to enable Chevron continue with their job. I can assure you that, henceforth, I shall pursue this matter with greater vigour,” he said.
“I have already secured assurance for a stakeholders meeting in the next 10 days with federal authorities and we shall all be at that meeting to tackle the issues. As you know, it is a process,” he said.
He also faulted claims that he instigated the protest, explaining that he could not start such a fire and have peace.
“One of the national dailies carried a story that I instigated the protest. Certain people are saying all sorts of things, maybe because of where I come from. But the truth is that I never sat with anyone to plan a protest. So, if there are issues, please let us address them,” he said.
Neglected for too long
Thomas Eriyetomi, who led the delegation, said the Ugborodo people have been neglected for too long by authorities such as the Niger Delta ministry, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He drew attention to the sea encroachment of Ugborodo and Ogidigben, as well as other Itsekiri communities in the axis.
“Your Excellency, we are not happy that the contract awarded by NDDC for a foreshore wall has since been abandoned by the contractor, while our communities are being washed into the sea,” he complained.
“We are not children, it is the poverty and neglect of the area that is making us angry. Let people from Abuja come and see for themselves what is happening to our homeland. At the rate that the sea is encroaching into our land, by 2013 we would no longer have a home, and this is enough cause for anxiety,” he said.
They also complained that a July 14 publication by the Niger Delta ministry for jobs to be done in the Niger Delta region drew the anger of the people, as it excluded Itsekiri communities.