THE GUARDIAN

Some community members of Rumueme in Obio-Akpor council of Rivers State, yesterday, protested on the premises of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company operating in their community over alleged negligence.

The Guardian gathered that men, women, and youths from the community picketed the company as they erected a makeshift tent and placed a casket with raffia leaves tied around the gate to the company, denying workers access into the premises.

Ovunda chukwu and Henry Amadi who led the protest said they were protesting over what they describe as “alleged negligence” by the multinational company.

They alleged that the multinational had refused to employ their youths, provide basic amenities such as roads, hospitals and water.

They threatened to continue with the picketing until their demands were met. Ovunda said: “The protest is because of the negligence of the Nigeria Agip Company. They have been in our community for over 40 years and since then, only few indigenes of the community are employed.

“So we are protesting that they should give employment to our people who are not doing anything.” Henry Amadi, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, said: “We have been calling for a dialogue but they never wanted to hear us. We have so many jobless youths in the community. Each time we confront them, they will promise to discuss with us, but at the end of the day, they will not do anything. So we have decided to protest for a week and see if they will not hear.”

Meanwhile, no official of the company came out to address the protesters, but security operatives were deployed at the gate of the company.

Efforts to reach the company’s public relations officer proved abortive as telephone calls and text messages were not replied to, at the time of filing this report.