Angry Ndokwa East/Ijaw Youths threaten to shut down Sterling oil operations in Delta

By Timi Black

Angry youths under the umbrella of Ndokwa East/Ijaw Nation Movement in Delta State has threatened to shut down oil operations of Sterling Exploration and energy Production Company Limited over the company’s inability to implement its social responsibility.

The group in a statement titled: “Attend to our Demands or We Shut Down Sterling Exploration and energy Production Company Limited” said: Except the oil firm met their demands it would shut down Oil operation of the company.

It was gathered that the Association of Ndokwa East/ Ijaw Nation Movement had dispatched a letter to the company to comply strictly on their demands to avoid a total shut down.

The letter was signed by Comrade Ebolo Samuel, chairman and Honorable Okowuwa Ezechi, secretary.

The aggrieved protesters demanded for the implementation of the corporate social responsibility of the company in its operational areas, adding that their waterways being polluted by the oil activities of sterling be cleaned and communities affected be compensated.

The group asserted, “Recall that on your receipt of our letter of 22/02/2022 on the above subject wherein we issued 14 days’ notice and ultimatum for your company to comply with our demands enumerated therein, our association staged a peaceful protest on the River Niger and at your YADE BADGE loading and offloading facility in Okpai, Ndokwa East, L.G.A. on the 15th day of March, 2022, and another protest on 23rd day of March, 2022.”

“Pursuant to the above civil action embarked upon by us, the security agents led by the Nigerian Navy attempted twice to midwife a settlement between our Association and your company. First at the Local Government Council, Aboh, Ndokwa East L.G.A and the second at the Nigerian Navy Ship Delta (NNS DELTA) Warri”.

According to them, the company had failed to keep to its own ends in an agreement made after the a long wait. “Which is unacceptable to the good people of Burutu, Bomadi, Patani, Ekeremor, Ndokwa East L.G.A.”

However, the group made a repetition of their demands with the warning to shut down the company’s operations on the waterways for all times, if they are not met in time.

“In the circumstance and at the risk of repetition, we demand the following as contained in our letter of 22/02/2022:

“1. JIV – Joint Investigative Visit – of the stretch of our waterways in the 5 LGA’s listed above where your barges operate to ascertain the level of pollution done by you for the purpose of payment of compensation to our communities.

“2. Immediate cleanup of the waterways after the JIV above and restoration of the ecosystem to support fishing for our local communities which is their source of economic mainstay.

“3. Corporate Social Responsibility Projects in our various coastal communities in the 5 LGA’s be initiated.

“4. Payment of Tenement Rates to our Local Governments and other ancillary tax to be determined and levied by the councils as prescribed by law.

“5. Shore protection for our coastal communities which is in a deplorable state as a result of constant and daily movement of your vessels be done.

“We warned that these demands must be met within two weeks of your receipt of this letter. “Your failure once again to do the needful shall incite us to do just one thing
“Shut down of your oil operations for all”.