By FESTUS AHON

UGHELLI—THE people Okpele-Ama community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, have called on the management of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the National Assembly and Delta State Government, to prevail on the company handling the piling of the sea wall and reclamation of the community project, to order.

Chairman of the community, Mr. Mike Titon, alleged that the company had invaded the community with men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, with two gunboats to forcefully remove their equipment, even though the project was yet to be completed.

According to him, the contract was awarded by NDDC in 2005 at the cost of N1.8 billion, decrying that the company had wanted to demobilise from the area without completing the job but was resisted by the community, noting that NDDC had paid N1.5 billion to the company.

“We are aware that NDDC paid the company over 80 percent of the total cost of the contract, yet the company brought two JTF gun boats to threaten people of the community and removed its equipment and as a result of our refusal, over 20 indigenes sustained various degrees of injuries due to their being manhandled  by the military men,” he alleged.