Bayelsa Lawmaker Joins Angry Indigenes to Protest Against Oando Operations, Demand Fair Treatment
By Naija Enquirer Staff
The lawmaker representing Brass Constituency I in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Dr. Daniel Charles, on Thursday joined chiefs, elders, women and youths of Twon Brass Kingdom in a protest against Oando Plc over alleged unfair treatment of the community.
Charles, a former Youth President of Twon Brass, said he was in solidarity with the demands of the people, describing them as valid and necessary. He urged Oando to take immediate steps to address the grievances of the host community and fulfil its obligations to the people.
The angry protesters accused Oando of failing to prioritise the welfare of the community and called on the company to address the environmental and economic challenges confronting the coastal kingdom.
Oando, a Nigerian energy company, recently took over the operations of the Brass Export Terminal and other assets previously owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
The peaceful protest commenced at the community town hall and proceeded to the gate of the Oando terminal, where demonstrators blocked workers from entering or exiting the facility.
Protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, including: “Share the wealth, not pollution,” “Invest in us, not just pockets,” “Employ our children, they need jobs,” and “Oando is unfair to Twon Brass Kingdom.”
The demonstrators also called on Oando to provide scholarships for youths of the community, similar to what was offered by NAOC in the past, and demanded improved electricity supply in the area.
Several Twon Brass indigenes who spoke to our correspondent condemned the alleged dismissal of indigenous Oando staff who are yet to reach retirement age and demanded their immediate reinstatement.
They further urged the company to employ qualified indigenes from Twon Brass to replace staff who voluntarily retired, warning that failure to meet their demands could lead to a total shutdown of Oando’s operations in the community.
All efforts to obtain a reaction from Oando officials at the facility were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
