By Emma Arubi
WARRI — THE Egbema National Development Forum, ENDF, has assured Chevron Nigeria Limited of a peaceful working environment for the company’s operations in their area.

ENDF, a group under Gbaramatu-Egbeme-Ogulagha Coastal Communities Front of Warri North Local Government Area, also appealed to the oil company to disregard allegation of fraud and dissolution of the executive of the group, noting that those behind the rumours were not members of the group.

In a letter to Chevron by Mr. Philemon Ugedi, Mike Tiemo, Capt. Nelson Bulara and Ebi Jiboron, the group said those behind the rumours were people of “questionable character, who in recent past had planned to blow up pipelines and other facilities of the oil company.”

The group referred to a petition to the company dated  July 4, 2011 and said: “We want to remind the management of Chevron  that it was tantamount to a procedural breach for any one or clan within the Gbaramatu-Egbema-Ogulagha Coastal Communities Front to circumvent the President of the Front and directly write Chevron for audience or any other thing.

“The petitioners are not our members. They are disgruntled elements who, instead of coming in through the door provided by our constitution, have resorted to campaign of calumny and falsehood to hijack the leadership of the association.”

The group pledged to explore legitimate means to ensure  the continued safety of Chevron facilities in and around their communities. It called on Chevron to go about its operation in the Egbema axis without  fear of molestation or disruption of its operations.