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… as Sangana Indigenes Protest against FG, NDDC, Oil Companies’ Neglect
By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
There was a security breach on Friday in Sangana Community of Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State following a massive protest by hundreds of youths and women against the Federal Government, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and seven oil companies operating in the area over alleged neglect despite the dreaded coastal erosion ravaging the kingdom.
The quick intervention of the political leadership, chiefs, elders of the people of the Sangana kingdom halted a breakdown of law and order, which could have shut down multi-million-dollar crude oil production in the area.
It was gathered that the protesters were provoked by alleged “deliberate neglect by the Federal Government and the oil companies,” with the raging coastal erosion swallowing up almost a kilometer of old Sangana which is ancestral base of Sangana.
The protesters, who were armed with placards with inscription such as ‘We Are A Peaceful People And Does Not Envisage A Break Down Of Law And Order,’ ‘Save Sangana Kingdom From The Ravaging Sea Encroachment,’ ‘We Produce The Black Oil Of The Nation And Deserve Better’ and ‘Save Our Land, Ancestral Heritage, Properties And Economic Valuables,’ cried out that the old Sangana is almost going to extinction if nothing is done to protect the city from the ravaging sea scourge.
According to the protesters, the Federal Government, its agency, the NDDC and the oil companies working in the area; Consolidated Oil & Gas Company, Statoil, Shell (H-Block), Chevron, NIGDEL etc, have neglected the community.
The protest took place from the beginning of the community to the banks of the river. Our correspondent reports that if not for the intervention of the political leadership, chiefs, elders of the people, there would have been a breakdown of law and order, which could have shut down crude production in the area.
The community members are aggrieved that the Federal Government, the NNPC failed to embark on a shore protection project to stop the erosion that has swallowed up more than 50% of old Sangana cities. This was officially reported to the Bayelsa State Government, the NDDC, and the oil companies operating in Sangana kingdom, they said.
The community lamented that despite their repeated protests and engagement with critical stakeholders, Old Sangana and its communities are going extinct as House’s public goods such as primary schools, rural electrification, farmland are all lost to the sea waves. Properties and goods worth millions of naira have been lost through the ravaging erosion that has kept thousands of people homeless.
The Community Development Chairman of Sangana kingdom, Mr. Preboye Reuben, said the Federal Government, NDDC and its host oil companies have allegedly refused to perform their corporate social responsibility in Sangana kingdom where they had been extracting oil for the past three decades.
Reuben noted that “It is 25 years now since the NNPC and its multinational oil companies started crude oil production, and yet, the Nigerian state has yet to show that it honours and recognise where the company has continued to extract crude oil for four decades. He lamented that the primary school of his alma mater, his father and grandfather’s houses are all under water.
“We are calling on Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the MD of NDDC, to save a sister community Sangana Bayelsa State. In 2009, NDDC under the leadership of former MD Mr Timi Alaibe, awarded shore protection in Sangana but it was abandoned after 30% completion in 2010.
“Now, we have another Bayelsa man at the helm of affairs in NDDC. Letters in this regard has been written to the new NDDC management but to no avail.”
He stressed that with the current reality of coastal Erosioin in the area, Sangana kingdom will be no more in the next ten years.
He called on both the Federal Government, NDDC and the oil companies working in the area to as a matter of urgent public importance come to the aid of the communities.
“It is baffling that Chevron has operated in our kingdom for over 47years, while Conoil, Statoil, First E&P, Shell H- Bloc, Nigdel have explored our resources for 25years and less. Yet, they abandoned us”
Also speaking, the King of Moko ama, Sangana kingdom, HRH Moses Theophilus, Kenibara V11 of Sangana Clan, said they were tired of writing letters to official quarters of government seeking intervention without any fruitful response.
He stated, “And today, we are saying we are tired after writing over 30 letters to various departments of government Agency like the NDDC, with oil companies operating in the area.
Also, Uroh Omirkumoh Kiani, Esq., Mr. Awontimite Boussa, the woman leader of Sangana kingdom (Bethel Wanatoi) all stressed their plight and concerns.
