Metro

Youths shut Agip gas plant in Rivers over MoU failure

Published

8 years ago

August 4, 2016

A gas plant, OB-OB, belonging the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, was on Wednesday shut down by angry youths in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The youths, in their numbers, said they decided to carry out the action because of the refusal of the oil company to meet with them to discuss matters affecting them, including provision of jobs and the implementation of terms of an earlier memorandum of Understanding it signed.

Chanting war songs, the youths took over the entrance of the gas plant as early as 6am, insisting that the plant will remain shut until NAOC listens to them and do the right thing.

Vice President of Omoku Youth Association, Mr. Emeka Ababiri, said the youth association had written series of letters to the management of NAOC on the need to have a meeting where they could discuss the way forward, adding that the oil company failed to honour any of the invitations.

He said: “We are angry because we do not like the way we have been treated by the oil company.

“Agip is situated in Ogbaland, including Omoku, but the company has refused to associate with us, the Omoku Youth Association. We have written series of letters to them for us to interface and look for the way forward.

“Some of the company’s responsibilities under the Memorandum of Understanding, like road rehabilitation and youth employment, have been abandoned and we believe it is time for us to take a bold step and force the company to listen to us.”

Ababiri however said the management of the company and the youth association will be meeting on Thursday.

“We have decided that we would meet with them tomorrow because holding the meeting today is no longer possible. They are now ready to talk to us, but negotiation proper will start tomorrow(Thursday).

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now