By Emma Arubi

WARRI – THE people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have dissociated themselves from a group known as Egbema/Gbaramatu/Ogulagha Coastal Forum, over an alleged complicity in the activities of its members,  who claimed to be representing their interest in that group.

The management of Chevron Nigeria Limited, has, meanwhile, been urged to stop further dealings with the group or its representatives on issues  concerning  the communities. The group said  henceforth, a new group, the Gbaramatu Renaissance Forum, has been given the mandate to represent their interest as host communities.

A prominent community youth leader, Chief Mike Johnny, who made the stand of the Gbaramatu people known in a chart with newsmen in Warri,  yesterday, said the decision to endorse a new body to represent their interest was because of the issue of  credibility of the leadership of Egbema/Gbaramatu/Ogulagha Coastal Forum, whose  members were not legitimately constituted and as such led to poor representation and arbitrary use of power.

According to him, “our attention has been drawn to the illegal activities of a group called the Egbema/Gbaramatu/Ogulagha Coastal Forum. We make bold to say that these people do not have the mandate to represent our communities in further negotiation with Chevron.”