–BY MICHAEL EKOKORUWE:
Members of Itesa Oil and Gas landlords families in Oleh, Isoko South local government area of Delta State, has staged a peaceful protest over employment marginalization by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, manager of Cluster 5 of OML 30.
Women and Youths of Itesa family in their numbers blocked the entrance of the Logistics office of Heritage Oil Firm along Oleh / Olomoro road and the flow station with erected canopies and displayed placards with various inscription.
Some of the placards reads, “Oleh need their base supprintendent”, “Oleh need their job slots”, “No employment, No operation”, and ” Oleh need their fair share”, amongst others.
The protesters chanted song’s of oppression, neglect, deprivation and marginalization from the Oil Company pump maintenance section, noting that the contractor employed 4 indigenes of Olomoro community and non from Oleh Itesa Oil and Gas landlords families.
Speaking to newsmen, the chairman of Itesa Oil and Gas landlords families, Mr. Emmanuel Okpaudhu said, several letter’s of demand were submitted to the management of Heritage Operational Services Limited, but the company failed to respond, which according to him was the reason for the protest.
Okpaudhu disclosed that, the DSS / ASS contractor of Heritage Oil Firm only employed indigenes of Olomoro and Owhe communities, but failed to employ members of Itesa Oil and Gas landlords families. He added that a Base supprintendent sacked, was shortchanged with a stranger from Edo State, now in charge of Oleh and Ughelli communities.
He demanded for a replacement of the Base supprintendent with Oleh indigene, noting that Oleh community should not be deprived from the facilities of cluster 5 of OML 30, emphasizing that few Oleh indigenes employed as casual staff has not been promoted.
Okpaudhu maintained that, Oleh community was omitted in the job slots of auto sample machine, just as he said, strangers were employed by Heritage Oil Company. He asked for fairness and equity and demanded to know the numbers of Oleh indigenes working in clusters 5 of OML 30.
The Itesa Oil and Gas landlords chairman, urged the management of Heritage Oil Firm to stop employment of strangers and engage Oleh indigenes in catering and cleaning services as well , and requested for a peaceful dialogue between Heritage Oil Company and the Oil and Gas landlord’s families.
While corroborating Mr. Emmanuel Okpaudhu, the secretary of Itesa Oil and Gas landlords families, Mr. Oboba Festus, decried the pains of non employment that has resulted to youth restiveness and drug abuse, adding that Oleh community is peaceful and has about 22 oil wells in clusters 5 of OML 30.
He noted that the landlords will remain at the entrance of the Oil Company until the management of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited respond.
Reacting to the protest, the president general of Oleh Kingdom, Chief Comrade Believe Alakri said, he is aware of the protest, noting that the pump maintenance is jointly owned by Olomoro and Oleh communities. He added that in cluster 5 of OML 30, Oleh community has highest percentage and urged the Oil Company to balance the employment status quo.
He demanded that the job slots of Oleh must be given to Oleh community, adding that the flair and camp site is owned by Oleh community .
He stated that Oleh. Olomoro and Emede communities in clusters 5 of OML 30, jointly owned the pipelines and Oleh should have equity in job slots, emphasizing that the company should not deprive Oleh community right to the facilities.
All efforts to reach the management of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited for response failed as phone lines called were not reachable.
