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By Joel Anekwe
Hundreds of youths, under the aegis of the Onne Youth Council in the Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, Tuesday staged a peaceful protest in the premises of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) located at the the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne, Rivers State.
Brandishing several placards some of which read: OGFZA (Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority) intervene on planned relocation of SNEPCo from Onne Port,” “Onne youths council is calling on SNEPCo not to relocate from Onne port,” “Onne is peaceful and safe all investors, invest in Onne port,” among others, the youths said they are calling on the Rivers State Government to intervene in the relocation of SNEPCo from Onne.”
They said it does not make any economic, social and even security sense now that every was complaining about congestion of Lagos ports for SNEPCo to also takes its Supply Base to Lagos saying it would compound the already bad situation.
President of OYC, Comrade Philip John Tenwa, who led the peaceful protest, said the planned relocation will lead to the loss of more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.
He said, “We are here today on behalf of our numerous members and indeed the entire Onne Community to draw the attention of the Nigerian government and indeed the world to the plan by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) to relocate its Supply Base from the Onne Port to Lagos. Indeed, SNEPCo last week surreptitiously directed that all its property and equipment including turbines, engine spares and miscellaneous equipment spares be loaded into containers and moved out of the Onne Port, where it had operated for more than 20 years, to another port in Lagos.
“This move by SNEPCo has serious and far-reaching implications for the Onne community and indeed the entire Rivers State. This is because SNEPCo, which is the operator of the Bonga field, at present, supports more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs at its Supply Base in Onne. There are also several small businesses and contractors whose businesses and fortunes are tied to SNEPCo,” he said.
Tenwa also said that the relocation of SNEPCo’s supply base out of the Onne Free Zone also negatively affect the economy of Rivers State and the larger Niger Delta region.
“It will also put the means of livelihood of many families and the future of our children at risk as well as further swell the burgeoning unemployment market in the Niger Delta region.
“SNEPCo suppliers and vendors are based in the communities around Onne and in the larger Niger Delta region. The suppliers and vendors deliver various items and supplies to the SNEPCo Supply Base in Onne. The planned relocation of the Supply Base to Lagos will directly affect not just the company’s staff but also these suppliers and vendors. It is also bound to affect the community staff working for SNEPCo,” the Onne Youths Council President said.
He said while the Federal Government and State Governments in the South-South have worked hard to ensure peace in the Niger Delta region, the relocation of the SNEPCo to Lagos has the potential of jeopardizing the peace currently being enjoyed in the region.
“Also, we are all aware of the huge congestion in Lagos Port and the underutilization of the Rivers Port, Port Harcourt and Onne Port. The ports in Lagos are bursting at the seams and the Apapa gridlock, which has practically hampered vehicular movement in Lagos, is clear evidence of this. As a result, the Federal Government has expressed its readiness to revive operations at the Port Harcourt, Onne and other ports in the South-South. Why then is SNEPCo not complementing this effort? What does it stand to gain by suddenly abandoning a community that has hosted its Supply Base and given it unequalled support for more than 20 years? In more than two decades, we never had cause to disturb or disrupt the activities of SNEPCo or any other company operating in our communities. We therefore do not deserve to be abandoned unceremoniously at this trying time by SNEPCo.
“The times are hard because in the past three years, no fewer than 15,000 people have lost their jobs at the Onne Port and the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone as a result of the economic downturn in the country. We think SNEPCo should not compound this situation with the relocation of their Supply Base to Lagos. This is more so as the Federal Government is working hard to ensure that oil companies domicile their offices and operations in the Niger Delta region where they make their fortune,” Tenwa further stated.
The protesting youths later moved from the SNEPCo Supply Base to the Palace of the Paramount Ruler of Onne Community, King John Dennis Osaronu, where they informed the king of their action.
King Osaronu commended the youths for their peaceful conduct and also called on SNEPCo to rescind its decision to leave the community who said the his council of chiefs were aware and in support of the peaceful protest
“We appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nyesom Wike and other well-meaning Nigerians to stop this move by SNEPCo,” he said.
A source inside Shell told our correspondent via the telephone that Shell was not only aware of the protest, but also confirmed the alleged planned relocation of SNEPCo to Lagos.
He said the planned move was a management decision taken to take the SNEPCo Supply Base to Lagos, close to its operations at the Bonga oil field.
