Youths of Koluama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Friday, halted acitivites at the oil facility operated by Conoil Producing Plc.
The aggrieved youths claim that the oil firm has refused to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with host communities.
It was gathered the breached oil facility, Ango 2 field, operated by Conoil since 2013 has a crude oil production capacity of over 30,000 barrels per day.
It was also gathered the aggrieved indigenes comprising women, youths, and elders, caught the security personnel stationed at the facility unawares.
The protesters, who had the backing of the Koluama Oil and Gas Committee, maintained that if the MoU is not implemented, operations will not continue at the facility.
They insisted that the oil firm failed in the implementation of the MoU, which included the its social obligations to host communities.
Chairman of the Committee, Chief Jonathan Amabebe, said some of the community’s demands include the clean-up of oil spill sites in the various communities and carrying out medical outreach to communities affected by oil spillages.
He noted that other demands were the issuance of an employment letter to one of the community’s qualified indigenes, who was successful in the firm’s employment exercise in 2015, and the award of contracts across the five host communities in Koluama Clan — Tamazo, Koluama 1, Koluama 2, Olobia and Kalaweiama, embedded in the MoU among others.
Responding to the claims, the spokesmperrson for Conoil, Richard Edegbai, said the protest was just a minor disagreement that will be resolved.
