Angered by obvious neglect after the 2012 rig explosion, youths from Koluama communities of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State Tuesday virtually shut down the operations of oil multinational, Chevron Oil.
The protesting youths expressed frustration over non-payment of compensation for the Jan 2012 rig explosion in the area.
They also barricaded the premises of the Community Development Foundation.
The spokesman of the youths said that they were seeking to draw the attention of the oil firm to the plight of the communities caused by the rig explosion and the non-implementation of development projects in the community.
His words, “We are here because of Chevron’s failure to pay adequate compensation for the KS Eandeavour rig explosion and failure to clean up the area.
“The rural development foundation to carry out development projects in line with the GMoU model company that the company agreed to fund, for the past three years they have not carried out any development.
“The foundation has also not convened annual general meeting for the past two years where we are supposed to present our development needs, the foundation has abandoned us and we are here to find out why”.
Reacting, Mr. Sola Adebawo, Manager, Communications & Public Affairs at Chevron Nigeria Ltd assured that the oil firm will respond in due course.
Prompt News recalls that some angry youths from the Koluama 2 community in Bayelsa had on Sept. 15, 2014 invaded and occupied the North Apoi oil platform operated by Chevron over the non-payment of compensation for the rig blowout.
