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Ugbokodo community in Okpe local government area of Delta State on Friday staged a peaceful protest against Seplat Energy over what the community has described as gross negligence.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports people of the Okpe oil rich community staged the peaceful protest at the premises of Seplat in Ugbokodo, which also houses facilities of Heritage Oil Services and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
Speaking in an exclusive interview with TNG on the protest, Mr Philip Ukeredi, the Olotu (Youth President) of Ugbokodo community, alleged that since 2010 that Seplat began operations in the community, the company has never kept its promises to the community.
Mr Ukeredi lamented that despite the rich oil presence in Ugbokodo, there was nothing to show for it, stressing that the community would be forced to continue with the protest if their requests were not granted.
Ukeredi said that the peaceful protest was called off following intervention by the Base Manager, Mr Emmaniel Otokhine, but that a seven-day ultimatum has been issued to the management of Seplat Energy for the company to meet their demands or consider their “manifold” shutdown.
“Today [yesterday] being 28th of June 2024, the elders, men, women and youths of Ugbokodo arranged for a peaceful protest. The protest started around 7 am and ended around 9 am.
“The cause of the protest was a result of the continuous negligence on the part of Seplat Energy. We have had a series of meetings with Seplat but they have repeatedly failed to adhere to the outcome of the meetings.
“The worse that happened that resulted in this protest, is that there was a meeting earlier scheduled for Tuesday, 25th of June 2024, which the Base Manager, Mr Emmanuel Otokhine turned down abruptly without informing the community.
“That is the reason the community was angry. As a result, the elders mandated me and my team of executives to lead the protest today,” Ukeredi said.
Speaking further, the Olotu of Ugbokodo accused Seplat of failing to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the community, stressing that since Seplat began operations in the community, no MoU had been signed.
“The key issues are six (6) points. One of them is the issue of unemployment. The youths are not happy. Most of our youths after graduating from university; the hope of every graduate is to get a job, and we as host community, our hope lies in our tenants, who are operators of various oil mining leases. We have OML 30, we have OML 34, and we also have OML 42.
“The youths of our community have been neglected by Seplat. Since 2010 when Seplat started its operation here, no meaningful employment has been done. So, one of our demands is employment of our graduates.
“The community has over 100 graduates. I am a graduate; I read banking and finance from the University of Benin (UNIBEN). We have engineers, we have doctors, we have accountants, we have lawyers, and others. So, we need employment.
“Two, we need Seplat to implement its corporate social responsibility (CSR) by providing good electrcity power supply for us.
“They have an existing manifold that exports oil. Oil gathers at the manifold from Ugborhen, TLP and from other lines, from where they distribute to Escravos and across the shores of the country.
“History has it that the manifold they have is the largest in Africa but our community do not have anything to show for it. It is not out of place if Seplat should provide us with constant electricity supply as part of its CSR.
“Thirdly, in connection with our demand for constant electricity power supply, we need transformers.
“We had a meeting last year of which we agreed that Seplat should give us transformers. We are suffering from epileptic power supply. With transformers, we will have some improvement in the interim. Seplat accepted but unfortunately, they failed.
“We also made a request for a civic centre. I remember when I was the Secretary in the year 2017, we produced an architectural design, which we submitted to Seplat. The design, produced by a professional engineer, cost us over N1.6 million. They promised us that they are going to implement it, but till date, Seplat has not fulfilled the promise.
“We also want Seplat to appoint a Community Liaison Officer (CLO), who will be an indigene from this community that will serve as a link between the company and the community. The one presently there, Mr Sunny Okologo, is not from the community. He works with Seplat.
“Another of our demands is that we want our women to be empowered. We have so many women who are good in business but they are not empowered. The women need empowerment, they need training, and some need skills acquisition.
“Also, we need Seplat to come and sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU). Since Seplat began operations in the community, no MoU has been signed.
“Seplat has kept our community in blackout. We do not know what benefits us. We do not know where we are as the host community to Seplat. We are floating and the company is having its way and cashing out unimpeded.
“We are demanding for a roundtable discussion where both stakeholders will sign a working document as we did with operators of OML 30, that is, Heritage.
“Presently, we have a GMoU with Heritage. Both Heritage and Seplat flow different lines in the same manifold. We are requesting that Seplat should come and do the needful.
“Also, as part of its CSR, Seplat should ensure we have good facilities in the community. For instance, it is not out of place if Seplat should provide us with potable water supply and build schools for us. These are our requests.
“The reason we called off the protest this morning is because the Base Manager called us in apprehension that he does not want Seplat’s properties to be destroyed, of which, we did not intend to destroy anything.
“He has booked a meeting for Monday, 1st of July. That meeting is scheduled to hold by 10 am. We are waiting to hear from him. We are waiting for the outcome of that meeting.
“The outcome of the meeting will determine whether the protest continues or not. Should they refuse our demands, the protest continues. We will mobilise our people for a 7-day protest. Even in the face of intimidation, we are ready.
“Seplat should do the needful to avert this protest. They should develop the community where they are making their billions of Dollars”.
On implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Ukeredi said: “So far so good, we heard that other communities boards have been formed. But the one concerning Ugbokodo community has not been formed.
“Earlier today, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the community, Mr Henry Augoye drew our attention to the issue of the PIA, noting that he has been kept in the dark, waiting to hear from Seplat but that till date, the company has not called on him as the BoT Chairman of PIA. Other communities have been benefitting but ours is waiting to be inaugurated”.
Speaking during the protest, Elder Godwin Ikpikpini appealed to the Delta State Government, the federal government and agencies such Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to come to the aid of the community.
Others who also spoke during the protest are Spokesman of the community, Christopher Ofoye; General Secretary of the community, Gabriel Ejakpome, a former Financial Secretary of the community, Coker Lucky, and Mr Godspower Omenie.
Efforts to reach the Manager, Corporate Communications at Seplat Energy, Mr. Stanley Opara, to react to the allegations proved abortive at the time of filing this report.