Delta, Bayelsa communities issues 7-Days ultimatum to SPDC

Youths of Iduwini Kingdom in Bayelsa and Delta States under the auspices of Iduwini National Youth Movement for Peace and Development, INYMPD, have threatened to shutdown the operations of EA Field operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, over alleged employment marginalization, non-patronage of Indigenous contractors, among others.

Meanwhile, the youths who also berated the multinational oil company for treating the monarch of the Kingdom with disrespect have issued a seven days ultimatum to SPDC to meet with the youths and leadership of the community for dialogue.

The youths in a statement yesterday by the President of INYMPD, Loveday Omoli and Secretary, Andrew Seikorowei, regretted that SPDC has deliberately undermined the youths of the host communities and denying them their rights and privileges.

The statement said: “Our reasons and demands are very clear upon which we have intended to carry out this protest to shutdown EA Field if SPDC fails to comply within the time frame given.

“Removal of all non indigenous contractors, since 2001 till date of SPDC operations in the EA, that is over 23 years in our domain, no indigenous contractor has worked with SPDC on major contracts, like Vessel supplies, AGO supply, security supply,food supply howsoever. Shell has been working with faceless non indigenous contractors.

“Worst of all, these contractors have colluded with SPDC, and some community bad eggs to undermine the overlords of the E.A Field without any form of community engagement, negotiation or compensation. We declare total stop to this act within the time frame or else it will not be business as usual.

“We want the world to know today that, SPDC from it’s inception of operations in the E.A field intentionally, willfully and wickedly refused to employ youths of their host communities, to set the record straight, SPDC workers in EA field are non indigenes, hereby we demand mass employment of our youths who are graduates both skilled unskilled within the stipulated time.

“We also demand that SPDC with immediate effect employ our persons as staffs and engage our people as contract staffs too, SPDC deliberate act is becoming unbearable as no single person from our kingdom is employed as staff or engaged as contract staff in the E A field and if SPDC has to employ our people as staffs or contract staffs they should do so without delay and furnish us the names or make open publication with all names of employees.

“SPDC must as a matter of fact, take a critical look at this point, in the past we remember how SPDC trained youths without empowerment or starter packs, thus, we demand the training of 100 youths of each E.A host communities inline with Chapter 3 of the PIA.

“Building of the King’s Palace in Amatu 1 Community; we finally call on National Petroleum Corporation Limited NNPCL, SPDC , Total E&P Nigeria Ltd, the ENI subsidiary Agip Oil Company Limited, Federal Government of Nigeria, Governor of Bayelsa State and NDDC who are major dealers and beneficiaries of the E.A field to quickly dive into action to this very demand. If the former Governor of River state, now minister Federal Capital Territory Abuja ( Wike) can sensitively work with Traditional rulers with gifts of cars among other things, we see no reason why federal government, governor of Bayelsa state and other major agencies or corporate bodies will not take to heart a first class traditional ruler who has been contributing over 25% to the Nigeria economy through your operation, the overlord of one of the largest oil Field in the world.

“It is so disheartening that, we have been so marginalized by SPDC and this is the right time to put a total stop. As earlier said, this is not a game as usual. To be forewarned is to before armed.”