…Security agents use tear gas on protesters

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South & Ochuko Akuopha

ASABA—PROTEST, yesterday, erupted in Kwale, headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta States, as hundreds of youths of the Ndokwa nation demanded the step-down of the Independent Power Plant, IPP, Okpai to provide electricity to their communities.

The youths, who barricaded the Kwale axis of the Ughelli-Asaba expressway, lamented years of blackout in Kwale and other communities of the Ndokwa nation.

The protesters, who chanted songs of grievances and displayed placard with various inscriptions such as “Light Up Ndokwa Nation,” “Electricity in Ndokwa land; enough is enough,” “NEPA no, IPP yes,” among others disrupted vehicular movement for hours as travelers were caught in the gridlock.

The youths, who were dispersed with teargas by police officers about 9a.m., later regrouped and continued with the protest.

One of the protesters, Mr Enubuzor, lamented that the Independent Power Plant, Okpai had been supplying electricity to over nine states, including Abuja, while the host communities have been in darkness for over a decade.

He said: “It is painful that we have something that can generate electricity for us but we are suffering. Our people are tired of buying fuel to power our generators.

“Most of our leaders are not living with us here to know what we are experiencing. If you look around, there is gas flaring everywhere and at night we cannot sleep because of heat.

“What we are saying is that let the leaders give electricity to Ndokwa. Let them light up Ndokwa so that we can benefit from the IPP.”

Reacting to the protest, the Publicity Secretary of the Ndokwa Neku Union, NNU, the apex social cultural organisation of the Ndokwa nation. Mr Azuka Odanike, said the union “is not against the protest, but it is the timing that we are against.”

He said the union had on Sunday set up a standing committee on the step down of power. He said the union wants to interface with the “protesters which government is already responding to fast-track the step-down of the IPP.”

Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer of the State command, Mr. Bright Edafe, said: “Any protest that people will go and block the highway and burn tire is no longer peaceful. They were burning tyres and stoning vehicles.”

Recall that the Chairman of Ukwuani Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr.
Possible Ajede, had last week announced that communities in the Ndokwa Nation that had been without electricity supply would soon be reconnected to the national grid.