Hundreds of old men and women as well as youths from Egi Clan in Rivers State on Tuesday, took to the streets to protest alleged high-handedness by Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited.
The community, which is also the host to the multinational oil firm, complained bitterly over alleged marginalisation of the people by officials of the company.
The spokesman for the community, Mr. Chukwukere Ile, who spoke to newsmen, said the protest march was arranged to tell the world how EPLN had impoverished Egi people.
Despite huge profits made by the oil firm and the Federal Government through oil and gas produced from Egi soil, the firm has neglected its social responsibility to the people.
In the course of oil and gas production, Ile said the EPNL destroyed Egi farmlands and fishing ponds, thereby rendering thousands of people jobless.
He further accused the oil firm of breaching all outstanding agreements and Memorandum of Understanding reached with the community.
Instead of addressing the genuine grievances of the people, the community spokesman said that the EPLN and the government deployed troops to Egi land.
He said, �We are a peace-loving people and we don�t want anything to cause trouble in our land. Let them withdraw soldiers from our community immediately.�
In another development, a group, the Movement of the Ijaw International, has called on the Federal Government to fully implement the Niger Delta Development Commission�s master plan, to ensure commensurate development of the region.
The group also stated that there was a need for political will on the part of the FG, for the neglected, but crude oil and gas-rich region to be transformed.
It noted that the master plan was painstakingly prepared, stressing that with enough funds released to the FG�s intervention agency, the region would be adequately developed.
President of the MOII, Chief Andrew Ekiokenigha, stated this in an interview in Yenagoa on Tuesday, while calling for more attention to the plight of the people of the region.
With the committed and focused members of board and management of the NDDC, the group assured that with adequate funds, marginalisation and environmental degradation would be things of the past in the region.
It equally charged the various contractors working for the commission to be more serious about the projects being handled, rather than giving flimsy excuses, which could lead to cancellation of the jobs.
The group also admonished the helmsmen at the three tiers of government to show commitment to development, thereby putting an end to militancy and hostage-taking.