-By Michael Ekokoruwe:
Irked by the continuous marginalization of employment slots from Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, manager Cluster 5 of OML 30, again Oleh community has staged a peaceful protest at the Oleh / Olomoro Flow Station, Isoko South local government area of Delta.
Oleh woman in their numbers, blocked the logistics base of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited and the entrance of Oleh / Olomoro Flow Station, and chanted songs of anger with placards that reads, “Gran – Abiams caterer must go”, “Clement must be restored”, “Oleh need their fair share”, “Oleh demand for their job slots” among others.
The protesters who sat under hired canopies at strategic positions, bemoaned long neglect of deprivation caused by over time marginalization of oil companies that has operated in the area and never showed sign of corporate responsibility.
Speaking to newsmen, the president general of Oleh community, Chief comr.
Believe Alakri stated that, Oleh community 4 pump maintenance and 2 DSS employment slots for Oleh indigenes were hijacked by Heritage Oil Firm management.
He noted that several letter’s were written to the oil company over employment slots equity, but never responded.
Alakri maintained that a month ago, Oleh community through Itesa Oil and Gas landlords families protested over employment marginalization but Heritage Oil Company, failed to respond. He added that several calls and visit made were disregarded.
The president general noted that Oleh community is pained as over 70% of the company staff that occupied senior management positions are from other states and ethnic groups, just as less than 30% of the staff from the area are casual workers. He demanded for staff verification of Oleh indigenes employed in the oil company.
Alakri said, the issues of the flare – site, camp – site and pipelines owned by Oleh community must be resolved, adding that Mr. Clement Uzi, who was sacked by the catering department contractor, Gran – Abiams, must be restored.
He emphasized that, until dialogue between Heritage Oil Firm and Oleh community is successful, the protesters will remain at the logistics base and entrance of the company’s flow station, and stressed that Oleh community with 21 oil wells need gas turbine and constant electricity towards the development of the area.
For his part, the chairman of Oleh oil and gas landlords families, Mr. Emmanuel Okpaudhu berated Heritage Oil Company that promised to comply with the demand of Oleh community in three weeks time, after the last protest.
He noted that efforts made by the community to ensure job slots equity was resisted by the oil company, just as he alleged that the company security manager, Mr. Hammer threatened to arrest him for shutting down the flow station.
Okpaudhu maintained that, former Delta State commissioner for oil and gas was aware of the development, and noted that Oleh community will wait for the new commissioner to resolve the issues.
Phone call to management of Heritage Oil Company was declined at the time of filing the report.
