ANGRY youths and women from the Kolo Creek Cluster communities of Elebele, Imiringi, Otuasega, and Oruma in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have taken a stand against the persistent darkness in their communities. In protest, they have shut down the Otuasega manifold and the Kolo Creek Logistics base operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, demanding improved electricity supply.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Armed with placards reading slogans such as “No Light No Crude/Gas in Kolo Creek” and “We Need Stable Power Supply in Our Communities,” the protesters gathered at the facilities in the early hours of Wednesday. They are calling for the damaged generating sets that supplied electricity to be replaced with a 10-megawatt plant or mini gas turbine.
Upon visiting the Otuasega manifold and the Kolo Creek Logistics base, it was evident that hundreds of residents, including youths and women, had closed the entrance to the facilities. Their protest was accompanied by solidarity songs and the sounds of local musical instruments.
Mr. Okala Precious, the Community Development Committee (CDC) chairman of Elebele community and chairman of the Action Committee for the Kolo Creek Cluster communities, expressed their anger at SPDC’s failure to restore electricity supply despite numerous meetings. He stated that the protest was their last resort to highlight their ongoing struggles after ineffective discussions.
“We are a peace loving people and in as much as we want our country, state and local government to survive, we will always give peace a chance. Why we are out today boils down to a meeting we had with Shell and we were invited by the state government because they were given a three day ultimatum. That meeting was held on 14th May, 2024″.
However, the position of government was a two week resolution which expired yesterday. It is expected that as peace loving people we should come out to demonstrate peacefully to press home our demand which is restoration of uninterrupted power supply to the four communities in the Kolo Creek Cluster.
“It is not too much for Shell to do for our communities, after all, they cannot compare the amount of resources they extract from our land to the light we are demanding.
“Even the rationing aspect they came up with we are not seeing. The two generating sets are totally down. All that the four communities are asking is to restore power. Let it not be as if Shell base enjoy uninterrupted power supply while our communities are in darkness. The government and the law enforcement agencies are aware that this protest is peaceful.
“The manifold and rig located at Otuasega are down and the major location at Imiringi is also shut down. We know very well that by the time Shell compares and contrasts their loss and what they are supposed to give to us their loss will be much greater. So they should do the needful.
“We are demanding that a 10 megawatt generating plant or a mini gas turbine that will better serve the Kolo Creek Custer communities be installed”, he said.
Kindly share
