LAGOS MAY 29TH(URHOBOTODAY)-Women in Oleh kingdom, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, have staged a protest against neglect by oil companies operating in the area.
The women were at the Olomoro/Oleh flow station, chanting songs and displaying placards with various inscriptions.
Speaking to Journalists, one of the women leaders, Mrs Ewoma Ochewru, said that oil companies in Oleh had over time refused to employ their sons and daughters while continuously employing non-indigenes to the disadvantage of parents that sent their children to school.
“It is painful to see oil companies operating daily with thousands of barrels of oil carried away from the area and the people continue to wallow in abject poverty” she said.
She noted that while the women were on the peaceful protest, soldiers from the 222 battalion, Agbaro-Otor unit brutalised them with four women sustaining various injuries and the women leader, Chief Mrs Igbevia Erube, forcefully thrown into their Hilux van and taken to an unknown destination.
According to Mrs Ochewru, the placards, chairs and canopy they brought were destroyed by the soldiers who blocked the road leading to the gate of Heritage Energy Operational Limited, manager of OML 30 oil block.
The women leader maintained that until their leader was returned, they would remain at the Olomoro/Oleh flow station premises, adding that information on the army brutality had been sent to HRM Anthony William Ovrawah, Omogha 1, the Odiologbo of Oleh kingdom and Chief Obaro Ekokobe, Chairman of Oleh Community Development Association.
When visited, Chief Obaro Ekokobe confirmed the protest while condemning the army’s action on the women protesting peacefully.
He said that Oleh community had agreement with the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) since 2013 and government representatives but noted that none of the points of agreement reached had been fulfilled by the successive companies working in the area.
In his words, “I heard the women are protesting because Heritage Energy Operational Limited that took over from NPDC since March 22 , 2017 with promises of developing the area, is about handing over to another company not known to Oleh community, one A .A . P. Works, a non -governmental organization without consultation with the host communities.”
Efforts made to reach Heritage Energy Operational Limited were unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.