By Emma Arubi
WARRI—HUNDREDS of Ugborodo women led by Madam Mercy Olowu, yesterday, took over the Federal Government’s gas pipeline project at Madangho, Escravos, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, over failure by government to enter into negotiation with the  community to address issues of alleged gross marginalisation.

The community also threatened to halt the operations of the Chevron’s operated Escravos-Gas-to-Liquid, EGTL, because of the heavy impact of the company’s operation in the state, if government fails to immediately address their plight.

Addressing newsmen at the Ugborodo House in Warri, Chairman of the Ugborodo Community Trust, Mr. Thomas Ereyitomi, expressed regret over the failure of the government to dialogue with the people, early August as promised, saying that it was the assurances given by government representatives to meet with them that led to the suspension of their earlier seizure of the facility.

Ugbarajor of Ugborodo, Prince Perry Atete, said, “now that the government has pushed us to the wall, we will make them understand that we are capable of helping ourselves out in such a  way that government will listen to our developmental plight. We are now prepared to die to save our land and future.”

The people who claimed that Ugborodo has been  producing above 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day to the nation’s economic growth over the last 45 years, said  that several appeals to the government and other relevant authorities to come to their aid over issues of sea erosion, provision of light and potable drinking water, road network, environmental degradation amongst others, had fallen on deaf ears, maintaining  that they would continue with their action until government attends to them.

They exonerated the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, of being behind their action as claimed in some quarters, stressing that the Ugborodo people have the legitimate rights to make demands and engage in protest to put across their grievances for the world to see.

They noted that for peace to reign, the government must as a matter of urgency undertake the shoreline protection and reclamation of Ode-Ugborodo community through Julius Berger or Westminister Dredging Company as they were the only ones with the competence to execute such projects and not contractors   that collected mobilisation and abandoned the contract.