By Emma Arubi
In a bid to address perceived injustices and breaches of a longstanding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Onshore Oil Producing Communities in Itsekiri land have taken to the streets in a peaceful protest, urging the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited to honor their commitments.
The protesters, predominantly youth, have been gathering at the Chevron yard on the NPA Expressway in Warri since Monday, demanding a meeting with the company’s leadership to address grievances related to what they allege is a disregard for the 2002 MoU.
Central to their complaints is the accusation that Chevron has failed to uphold provisions in the MoU that ensure the employment of individuals from the host communities.
Undeterred by the heavy rainfall, protesters brandished placards with messages such as “Stop treating us like nobody in our land,” “Chevron give us our rights, employment is our right,” and “Chevron respect the law of the land.”
The atmosphere was further charged as some participants brought along two coffins, one of which was used for a symbolic offering and incense burning in a vivid display of discontent.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Godwin Utienyin, President of the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), emphasized that the protesters represent the 23 oil producing communities in Itsekiri land.
He called on Chevron’s management to engage with them regarding recent employment practices, highlighting the absence of Itsekiri natives among the company’s recent hires.
“We have mobilized individuals from all 23 communities in Itsekiri land that are involved in oil production.
“We are also joined by the Ekpan people from the Urhobo ethnic group in this peaceful protest,” Utienyin stated.
“We urge Chevron to convene a meeting with us, as they have thus far declined to do so. Attempts to circumvent us by transporting staff through other yards in the Itsekiri area have been thwarted.
“”We want Chevron to call us for a meeting, till now they refused. They wanted to smuggle their staff through the Shell yard, NPA yard and other yards in the Itsekiri axis and we prevented them.
“We do not know why Chevron is shying away from its responsibility. We need job, come and tell us the job you have for us because you are already employing.
“The casual staff that are working with you, you refused to convert them and you are employing permanent staff without taking us into consideration. We are stakeholders and we want our employment slots,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Olley Endurance, Chairman, Itsekiri Employment Council said that the Onshore Oil Producing Communities had five Oil Fields adding Chevron has not employed any of their indegene in the past 15 years.
He said that multinationals employed staff every now and then, noting that no consideration was given to the host communities as against the provisions of the Nigerian Local Content Act of 2010.
“We have written several letters to the Management of Chevron and the Delta government without any reply.
“The Onshore Oil Producing Communities are here on a peaceful protest demanding for our MoU from the Chevron. A yearly MoU that will tell the categories of jobs they have been given to us yearly since 2002 the MoU was constituted.
“We will remain here as long as Chevron refused to attend to us. We are here with our brothers from the Ekpan Community in Urhoboland. We resolved that we will not leave here until our demands are met.
“We are appealing to the relevant authority especially President Tinubu and governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta to call the management of the Chevron to order and respect this peaceful protest.
The appeal has now extended to President Bola Tinubu, with the Itsekiri communities seeking his intervention to ensure Chevron’s compliance with the MoU and address the grievances raised by the protesters.
Chevron Nigeria Limited is yet to publicly respond to the protesters’ demands or provide a statement regarding the ongoing situation.
