Olomoro villagers besiege Shell facility

By Emma Amaize

WARRI- NO fewer than 200 members of Awhakia family of Olomoro community in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, have besieged Olomoro Flow Station operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company, demanding that the oil company implement the terms of agreement reached with them.

They came with canopy and chairs.

The protesters said they would not leave until the company starts payment of adequate compensation, environmental clean-up, proper community deve-lopment projects and crea-tion of good and harmo-nious working relationship with the families.

Their spokesmen, Mr. Sunday Iderike and Godday Egbogbo, said over the years the company had taken the family for granted because of their peaceful disposition, adding: “We are sad over Shell’s lukewarm attitude and deliberate refusal to implement the resolution reached since October 2010. The company’s stand is clearly an invitation for confrontation.

“There had been regular oil spill incidents here in Olomoro Compressor Station since 2001. As we talk, another one had just occurred on the same spot. The soldiers and mobile policemen on guard here are witnesses.”

“They just came from the spot it happened yesterday (Sunday) morning. Shell should stop deceiving us.”

They wondered why the company was yet to obey the 2010 peace treaty reached by the family, Shell, Federal Ministry of Environment, security agencies and Isoko South council in respect of the family land where it is operating.

They said: “Our patience has been exhausted since the company was shying away from cleaning up the impacted land and compensating owners of the land.”