PIA Crisis: Communities Lay Siege, Threaten Shutdown of SPDC’s 20,000 bpd Flows Station In Delta
Sylvester Idowu in Warri
Three communities, Ugborodo, Ugboegugun and Deghele, operating under the aegis of Otumara Host Community Trust (OHCT) yesterday, laid siege to Otumara Flow Station operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in protest against the refusal of the firm to negotiate the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) with them.
They threatened to shut down the Flow Station anytime, should the management of SPDC fail to enter into discussion with them.
Otumara Flow Station produces 20,0000 barrels per day.
Spokesman of the protesters, Mr. Alex Eyengho, said they had written several letters seeking for a discussion about the implications of the PIA but did not get any response from the company.
“We are tired of the hide and seek game being employed by SPDC hence we are here to protest peaceful but if we don’t get any attention in the next 48 hours, we will shut down the Flow Station. You know the implication of that, it means the nation will lose 20,000 bpd daily. We don’t want to tow that line for now,” he said.
Eyengho, disclosed that part of the issues they wanted to discuss with the company was the recognition and registration of OHCT which is autonomous and independent as spelt out in the act.
Another leader of the protesters, Mr. Anthony Mene Bojoh, Vice Chairman of Deghele Community Youth, explained that the three communities decided to be under one platform known as OHCT to make the implementation of the act easier for them.
He said the OHCT was independent and any negotiations should be done with their leaders and should not be lumped into any group or clusters as being implemented by SPDC warning that any short of their demands will be resisted.
Some of their placards read, “Ugborodo Community on Otumara Host Community Trust (OHCT) We Stand: Deghele Community on Otumara Host Community Trust (OHCT) We Stand, Ughboegugun Community on Otumara Host Community Trust (OHCT) We Stand amongst others.”
