Angry Ijaw youths from Benikrukru community of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have embarked on a mass mobilisation of women and children to stop work on the 16-inch gas pipeline project being constructed for Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) from the company's Abiteye Flowstation to Escravos.

NOGintelligence gathered from the leaders of the youth in the area that flying boats and canoes were also being mobilised to move women and children to occupy the multi-million dollar gas project.

One of the youth leaders told NOGintelligence that the gas pipeline project was being executed for Chevron by an indigenous contractor, Fenog Nigeria Limited.

He however noted that the involvement of the local contractor in the project would not stop the youths from occupying the site unless Chevron meets their demands.

"We are mobilising market women and children, with canoes and flying boats to go and occupy the project. We will stop the work until Chevron meets our demands. The fact that the contractor handling the project is from the Niger Delta will not stop our action," he said.

The angry Ijaw youths numbering over 500 recently invaded the site temporarily, after chasing workers away.  It was learnt that the protesting youths arrived at the site with several boats and ordered all workers to leave but no one was hurt.

The youths said their action was in protest against the recently renewed Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) between Chevron Nigeria Limited, Egbema/Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation and the Delta State Government.  They also allege that Chevron has failed to provide basic social amenities for their community.

 The fierce-looking Ijaw youths said they were not comfortable with the GMoU and the accused Chevron of dragging their feet over the sand fill, piling and sweeping of the canals in Benikrukru Community. The chairman of Benikrukru Community, Chief Jeffrey Ojogun, said the action of the youths was a sign of what would happen to other facilities of the company in the coming days. He accused the company of trying to cause disaffection and disunity in Benikrukru Community.

 "We want to warn that this is just the beginning of our planned action against Chevron Nigeria Limited, a company that has murdered sleep in our community and we have vowed not to allow the company to know peace. Apart from the issue of the vexed GMoU, we are demanding from Chevron the sand-filling of our community, pilling of the community, sweeping of the canals and our stake in the Regional Council and these demands must be addressed urgently by the company," he said.

The youths also protested what they described as the failure of Chevron to define their stake in the Regional Development Council.

 They also allege that the people from Benikrukru Community who signed the GMoU on behalf of their community did not got the approval of the community.

NOGintelligence gathered that after an emergency meeting held on November 13, 2012, the members of the community had sanctioned those who signed the GMoU.

The community also threatened to mobilise women and children in the days ahead to cripple the Abiteye Flowstation and other facilities of Chevron.

Total Exploration and Production Nigeria (TEPNG) has signed partnership agreements with the people of Opobo-Nkoro in Rivers State, incorporating the communities into the development agenda of the company for the first time. The company has also renewed its partnership agreement with the Mgbuesilaru community.

The agreements, which will last for five years cover items as employment; skills development; micro credit schemes; educational development and infrastructural development.

According to the scope of the agreements for the Mgbuesilaru, the community indigenes will be given employment slots in the company within the duration of the agreement, while 65 persons will be trained on skills development for five years from 2012 to 2016.  

In the area of education, 33 persons will be selected for post primary; post secondary 40 persons, post graduate (local) 8 persons and post graduate (foreign), 3.

Also a revolving N5million micro-credit loan for entrepreneurs and infrastructural development envelop of N190million in five years.

The agreement between the company and the Opobo-Nkoro community provides that employment slots will be provided for the community indigenes in the company for the duration of the agreement, while 130 persons will be trained in skills development for five years from 2012-2016.

In the area of education, 42 persons will be trained in post primary; post secondary, 38; post graduate (local), 10 and post graduate (Foreign) 3. Three million naira revolving loan for entrepreneurs and infrastructure development envelop of N220million in five years will also be made available.

In his welcome address during the signing ceremony, TEPNG's Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District, Mr. Nicolas Brunet, stated that the company's investment in the communities was meant to touch lives through the various projects and programmes that will be embarked upon

during the lifetime of these agreements. Brunet also stated that the signing of the new agreements would further strengthen the relationship between the company and the communities.

He used the opportunity to commend the various negotiating teams for their maturity and sense of responsibility that culminated in the final agreement.

The company had earlier in the year signed partnership agreements with Egi Oil and Gas Families, Egi Communities, Olo community and Ekpeye Kingdom, all in its Oil Mining Lease (OML) 58 concession. Mgbuesilaru community is host to the Total Village while Opobo-Nkoro is one of the coastal communities within the operations of Total in OML 99. Total said the signing of the agreements was was another demonstration of its corporate social responsibility.

Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has completed the distribution of all the relief and medical materials worth over N75 million, it had earlier donated to flood victims in Rives, Bayelsa and Delta States.

This is in addition to the $1 million jointly donated by SPDC and Shell Nigerian Production Company (SNEPCo) in support of flood displaced persons in 24 states across the country. The money and relief materials were donated through the Red Cross and will be used in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the humanitarian organisation.

The support comes as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced that the floods have claimed 363 lives and displaced 2.1 million people in different parts of the country.

The Managing Director of SPDC, and Country Chair of Shell Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, said the company was deeply affected by what the floodwaters had done to people across the country and in the Niger Delta.

"We recognise that our assistance will not solve all their problems, but it can help them cope with the impact of the tragedy at this time," he said.

During the distribution of the relief materials, Sunmonu visited relief camps in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states along with SPDC's Health-in-Motion team, which treated various ailments, dewormed children, delivered health awareness talks and gave out insecticide treated nets. An SPDC mobile clinic worked with the team and attended to emergencies.

In one outreach at Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, Yenagoa, the biggest of the 28 relief camps in Bayelsa State, the mobile clinic had to support a woman in labour who was rushed to a nearby hospital where she gave birth. The commandant of the camp, Dr. Duonebiyah Udisi said: "We are very happy for the outreach, as it meets the immediate health needs of the displaced people."

The Health-in-Motion team also donated an assortment of drugs including anti-malaria, anti-hypertensive, anti-fungal, anti-ulcer, anti-diabetics, antibiotics and syrups.

Staff of Shell companies in Nigeria are contributing to a voluntary fund which SPDC will match 100per cent. SPDC's support will aid the Red Cross in relief management, camp coordination and management, emergency shelter, livelihood support and early recovery, family reunification, psychosocial support and risk reduction. Earlier, the company had provided helicopter flights, geomatics expertise, satellite imagery and maps of affected areas to aid proper relief operations planning and execution.