Protest: Placard-carrying Okerenkoko residents protesting the death of a pregnant woman at the Nddc-built, Desopadec-operated hospital at Okerenkoko community of Gbaramatu in Warri South-West Local Government Area Delta State, weekend. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire.

By Emma Arubi
WARRI—UGBORODO women in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State,  have warned the Federal Government, that they would wreak havoc on the Escravos Gas Plant project, should government fail to enter into dialogue with the leadership of the oil rich community on some issues they had raised.

The women, who in their hundreds had occupied the gas plant project site for six hours, however, vacated the site following the intervention of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in a tripartite meeting involving Chevron, security agents and relevant stakeholders held at the Government House Annex, Warri.

They said they were protesting against underdevelopment of their communities. The women who arrived the Government House Annexe in about 20 buses to register their displeasure against  the Federal Government through the state government over the  failure of government to address the ocean surge, which is eroding their communities,  chanted war songs, armed with placards.

Some of the placards read,  “We will not allow the gas pipeline passage if we are not given electricity”; “Our communities are being lost to the ocean surge”; “We need shore protection for our communities”; “Federal Government should give us electricity,” amongst others.

Leader of the women, Mrs. Mercy Olowu,  told the Permanent Secretary, Government House Annexe, that they embarked on the protest to ensure that the state government intervened. “We are angry. You can see that. We are losing our communities to erosion as a result of oil exploration and yet we have nothing to show for it. Governor Uduaghan intervened and we vacated the Chevron facility but we are here to tell him that after August 2,  the date he assured us, we will be violent in our demand,” she said.

Mrs. Olowu lamented the underdevelopment of Ugborodo,  noting that there was no electricity in the communities but at night “Chevron facility will glow with light. Why can’t they extend the gesture to us?”

The Permanent Secretary, Government House Annexe, Mr. Pius Origho commended the women for the peaceful protest and promised that he would convey their message to the Governor.