Ilaje Ugbo coastal communities gives Chevron 72 hours to settle all dues

Crisis is looming in Ondo State, as the Amalgamation of Ilaje Ugbo Coastal Communities Association (AMAICOMMA), in Ilaje local government area of the state, has given a 72hours ultimatum to the Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to settle all their due benefits in terms of equipment supply, call out contracts and other entitlements before embarking on shallow water drilling (project panther) operations within the communities.

A statement made available to journalists on Tuesday in Akure by the executive body of the association, led by its Chairman, Wole Ogungbeje and Secretary, Kehinde Omoyele said; “AMAICOMMA communities from time immemorial have been continually short-changed by Chevron Nigeria Ltd, while other ethnic groups are usually favoured in terms of allocations of opportunities and benefits such equipment supply, call off contracts, registration of Ilaje AMAICOMMA contractors and other opportunities.

The statement said: “The most recent is the fraud against the collective interest of AMAICOMMA communities of Ilaje offshore operations by Chevron Nigeria Ltd in relation to the shallow water drilling (Project Panther) that is about to commence now.

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“As paragraph three of our inauguration letter still in force, we unequivocally demands for the reversal of the erroneously and purportedly sent jobs opportunity mail to the yet unregistered Ugbo Trust by PGPA, and channel same jobs opportunities to AMAICOMMA which should includes all benefits, opportunities, entitlements and privileges accruable to AMAICOMMA communities from the upcoming drilling operations.

“It will interest everyone to know that all the equipment for the panther drilling project have been hijacked by Chevron top managerial staff in favour of different contractors where they have interest as no single one was given to any Ilaje contractors despite the fact that some of our local contractors participated in the equipment supply bidding process for the panther drilling project. Outside the bidding, the usual practice is that the local contractors from Ilaje are supposed to be nominated for supply of equipment. All this process has been compromised by Chevron PGPA for their personal interest.

“We therefore challenge Chevron Nigeria Limited to disclose the total numbers and identities of the call off contractors shortlisted for this drilling operations.

“The above is for the information of Mele Kolo Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC limited), NNPC Upstream Investment Services (NIUS), Ondo State Government and The Director of the State Security Services Ondo State for their possible intervention.”