The people of Harmony Nwosu Ogbele Community in Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State have staged a peaceful protest against alleged injustice and environmental degradation by an oil firm, Aradel Holdings PLC.
The protest led to the total blockage of the main entrance to the company by the community women, Chiefs, opinion leaders and youths singing and dancing to rythms of traditional drum beats.
Some of the protesters brandished placards with different inscriptions like; “BOT and Aradel Holdings, please declare the amount of money accrued to Ogbele Community”, “Start Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) implementation now with effect from 2021,” “Let Ogbele landlords/community have freedom of choice of contractors,” “Aradel Holdings Plc should be transparent in dealing with us, enough is enough,” and many more.
Speaking to newsmen, the Community Woman Leader, Mrs Peace Amuso, stated that the protest is over due, querying the refusal of the company to engage community contractors.
She asserted that the company has failed to live up to her responsibilities, as stipulated by the PIA.
“Promises made over three years are yet to be implemented.
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“The community roads are not maintained. The host families could not even boast of decent halls, nor can the community show the public one project executed by Aradel,” she lamented.
Mrs Amuso pointed out that their farm land is no longer yielding meaningful crops and all attempts to interface with the company had been in vain.
Another woman, Mrs Ruth Peter, hinted that their children are not given employment against new faces seen on monthly basis, stressing that Aradel Holdings Plc recently did a major employment through her contracting firm, but that the host community was not aware till it was late.
“The irony is that billions of dollars are lifted daily from our land and nothing to show for it.” she said.
Also, the Community Women Assistant Secretary, Mrs Joy Okorobia vowed that the women would not demobilize except the needful is done.
She averred that the company had brought only hardship to the people than good.
Efforts to get the reaction of the company Community Affairs Manager, Blessing Okpowo proved abortive as he did not take his call as at the time of filing in the report.
It should be noted that Aradel Holdings Plc, formerly known as Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, NDPR is an indigenous oil and gas refining company that operates OML 54.
