Abdulwahab ABDULAH & Ediri EJOH

The people of Igboye Community in Epe Local Government area of Lagos State have protested against what it called “failure to meet necessary pre-requisites” by the operators of the Phase 2 Expansion of Escravos Lagos Gas Pipeline Project which passes through their farmland.

Gas pipeline

The project is being carried out by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC and contracted out to ZAKHEM Construction Nigeria.

During their protest last week to the construction site of the company, the people of the community including the old and young folks threatened to halt further activities on the project until statutory requirements are met.

However, in its reaction, the company promised to work with the community to achieve lasting peace and friendship with its host community.

The community was led in protest by four ruling Houses namely; Alhaji Mikhail Kadiri, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo, Alhaji Waidi Lasisi from Erelu ruling house, Alhaji Safiriyu Bakare from Osikadewa ruling house and Apostle Mathew Odunlami from Shamba ruling house among others.

According to them, the community was unaware of the project and the development it will bring to the community and the country at large. However, their protest was stemmed from the argument that the company embarked on its work without necessary documentations with the community as well as carrying out the required Environmental Impact Assessment test, (EIA) to be carried out by the Federal Ministry of Environment in accordance with the law to ascertain risk that can be incurred by the project if there would be leakages or incidents. They are also protesting that the company had allegedly failed to pay to them specified compensation.

Addressing his people, Alhaji Kadiri noted that several attempts made by the community to access the operators in order to dialogue with them have not been fruitful.

He said: “We are not pleased with the lack of cooperation been played down by the operators as we are not oblivious of the benefit it would bring to the community as well as the country. Sometimes in March, 2014, one of the Heads of the ruling house in Igbooye, wrote a petition to the Department of Petroleum Resources, complaining about the non-payment of the appropriate statutory compensation to the community, and since then we have had no word addressing that complaint, but instead we come to see operations ongoing without honouring the due process.”

He argued that the traditional ruler of the community, Oba of Igboye, Micheal Onakoya, had written to the Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja, denying any meeting by the community representatives with NNPC and the alleged EIA report displayed at the community Local Government Secretariat in 2013.

“Up till date, the NNPC, Zakhem Construction Nigeria Limited have not deemed it fit to address the issues raised in the aforesaid petitions and yet continued with their construction on the site, hence this peaceful protest on the farm land”, he added.

Community divided against itself:

However, there has been uneasy calm between the people of the community and its monarch. There was an impression that the traditional ruler was the one encouraging the company to carry on with its activity without addressing some of the demands of the community.

It was alleged that last year, when the community confronted NNPC over the promise to meet the statutory requirements before mounting of gas pipeline across the community, having deprived the town from farming and developing some pieces of its land, it was said that the company referred those who met the company to their traditional ruler.

Also, in attempt to secure the right of the community, they defied the directive of the monarch by marching to the construction sites, forcing the workers to move their equipments such as; caterpillars, giant generators and welding machines out of Igbooye land to the neighbouring Ibonwon town, insisting that due process has to be followed to avoid any form of crises.

Although the workers and their management staff failed to meet with the protesters who besieged the site until about 4.00p.m, when officials of the NNPC supervising the project arrived at the site from Mosimi, Shagamu, Alhaji Kadiri who headed the team of protesters, told the construction workers that they would not be allowed to work until the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, meet the community’s demands.

Attempt by our reporter to get the Oba’s comment on the claim against him was rebuffed as the Olori Adenike Onakoya, turned them back with a response that “Oba has traveled” while the palace chiefs also refused to talk insisting that only the monarch can talk on issue.

SWEETCRUDE learnt that the Oba had been aware of the protest having allegedly discouraged some youths from participating in such rebellious act.

Challenges

Since the gas pipelines expansion project will cover over ten kilometers of community and family land, there have been a clamour for adequate compensations.

They alleged that the loss of such valuables should be compensated in order to re-engage in other areas of trade to help cater for their needs. They also argued that the DPR has failed to do Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, on the land.

Regulators react

When contacted, spokesman for DPR, Paul Osu declined comments on the demands of the community.

Osu challenged the community to bring the acknowledged copy of the correspondences exchanged with the DPR for them to respond appropriately.

According to him, “there are ways to go about this issue, and the best way to address this is to receive the acknowledgment letter issued to the community by the regulator.

Also, responding to the community grievance, NNPC in an introductory meeting with the Project Manager, ZAKHEM Construction Nigeria, Mr Bello, apologized for not meeting with the community before commencing work.

The NNPC, however, urged the people to be at peace and that what it clamored for is lawful and would not be neglected as all statutory compensation will be met.

Present at the meeting was Otunba Musa Adebamowo, Head of Community representative, Alhaji. M. Kadri, Chief Gbenro Otunnowo and Toyin Shogosanya, representing the youth.