Reasons were on Monday emerged why Bonny Local Council Area, which is an Island in Rivers State, was abruptly shut down as the communities complained of neglect by International Oil Corporations (IOCs).
BusinessDay was told by the brains behind the protest after the shutdown was lifted that the International Oil Corporations (IOCs) reneged on agreements and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects entrenched in the agreements signed with the communities over the years.
Amairigha Edward Hart, the Chairman of Bonny Kingdom Development Committee told the crowd gathered from Bonny at the Government School field and at a press briefing that whereas Train 7 was allegedly nearing completion, that the CSR projects attached to it were yet to take off.
Read also: Tension averted in Bonny as shutdown suspended
Stating what he called the position of things in Bonny with regards to the activities of multinationals and Governments at all levels in Nigeria, Hart said neglect was at the back of their grievances.
He said erroneously, Nigerians believe that Bonny people are lucky, but that the case was the opposite.
He said though Bonny was a trading partner to many nations and ethnicities, the coming of IOCs did not transform the island as much as many people believe.
Hart said the only Federal Government project in Bonny is the Bonny Road that had been on the drawing board for 50 years, yet uncompleted.
“It is, however, disheartening to state at this point that with the presence of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU), TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited, and BelemaOil, among several others in Bonny Island, the area has become worse off. While individuals, nations and organisations hail Bonny Island as a blessed geographic location, the land and people have very little to smile about.
Read also: Bonny Kingdom Development Committee assures on non-violence at proposed protest
“This stems from the abject neglect, total exclusion, rights and privileges denial and obnoxious disregard for the people of Bonny Kingdom in the scheme of things with regards to how the companies operating in Bonny Island do their businesses.
“Specifically, aside the marginalisation of Bonny people in employment, management and administration, award of contracts, among others, the vehement refusal to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects in the Kingdom are some of the annoying issues trending.”
“For emphasis, NLNG and SCD-JV signed Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) to execute the following Projects in the Kingdom under the Train-7Project: Expansion of the road from Shell gate to Coal Beach with a spur from Amaomu Junction to the King Perekule Palace; Construction of a 5,000 capacity mini-stadium and Sports Academy; Construction of Vehicular Terminal, Construction of a 2.5km road from Workers’ Camp to Simidia Junction, but has blatantly failed to implement any of them for years now.
“There is also an agreement to construct a Waste-to-Wealth facility, among others, but none of these projects has seen the light of day up till now. Aside the renovation of classrooms, no CSR project has so far been implemented by either Shell, Mobil, BelemaOil, etc. in any part of Bonny LGA. The last time, any CSR project was done in Bonny Island was 15 years ago by TSKJ.”
He said Bonny people were aware that CSR project funds were given at the same time the fund of the Train 7 was released and wondered why the situation remained so.
Answering questions at the Press briefing, Hart said they chose to cry out so everybody would know that CSR projects had not been done because if the project was over, the owners might tell the world that the fund was given to the leaders.
He said the protest was suspended to give the IOCs one last chance based on strong promises they just made in writing.
He warned that the IOCs would know what hit them if this one last chance was missed.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
