Ogbeani people and the entire people of Ndokwa nation have cried to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state to save their souls over alleged maltreatment of community workers by management of Liquified Petroleum Gas, (LPG), Kwale, Ndokwa West local government area of the state.
They lamented they are dying in silence particularly from the mistreatment the Ogbeani community workers get from the management of the company despite that it operates on their land, threatening to henceforth resist it.
According to Mr Courageous Ozor, Chairman, Mr lkumi Christopher, PRO, Mr Enemuwe Peter, Secretary and Mr Aninwe Edward, Treasurer, representatives of the community workers in the company, their demand is simply to get employment letters specifying the terms and conditions of service and improve their welfare like others.
Pushing their plight, I O Omoyibo & Co, Barristers, Solicitors and Legal Consultants, in a letter dated 30th October 2024, titled ‘Save Our Soul’ addressed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, copied the Commissioner of Police, Delta command, Commissioners, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Oil and Gas, Delta state and all security formations in the state, lamented that the company hires and fires the community workers anyhow, work like animals and not knowing their faith or what is before them since no employment letter was issued to them.
They complained about the new minimum wage which the company also failed to implement to better their lives, whereas some workers who are strangers, (supra) are well taken care of while all efforts to resolve the disagreement amicably has proved abortive.
“We are solicitors to Ogbeani Community workers in Delta LPG, Delta state. Since the inception of Kwale LPG, our clients have worked without employment letters. Behold, our clients have suffered untold hardship in the hands of the company in which we stand to say ‘no more’.
“However, it painted our hearts that strangers in the same company, particularly the Lagos- man- do have power, juicy terms and conditions clearly spelt out in their respective letters of employment.
“It is also our brief that the company is going contrary to the Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU) signed with the people of Ogbeani and the provisions of the Local Content Act currently in force in Nigeria as it relates to the welfare of community workers, (our clients) in the company.
“It is our contention that the negligence of the company as against our client as complained above is a deliberate act designed to further enslave Ogbeani people on whose rich land the company operates and put them into perpetual pain against good conscience, equity and natural justice.
“Ogbeani people and the entire people of Ndokwa nation are known for peace and that peace we stand, praying your Excellency with all sense of humility to use your good offices to intervene in this matter and help save the souls of our clients who are steadily dying in such a silence in such a company blessed with much abundance.
“Your Excellency, permit me to state that our clients bleed in the heart. Consequently, we plead as the last resort help save the lives of these innocent ones before they all perish. Behold, a stitch in time saves nine.
While the complain was getting government attention, the State Intelligence Department (SID), Force Intelligence Department (FID), of the Nigeria Police in a letter of invitation, Ref. No CB:3422/SID/DTS/VOL.5/79 invited the workers’ representatives for interrogation just as the Bloomberg Law, Legal Practice & Consultancy, Portharcourt, in a letter dated 3rd Feb, 2025, written to the Nigeria police on behalf of the representative, (clients) and signed by L. E. Enafoma Esq, reminded the police authority that the issues that brought about the letter had been routed to the Governor’s office and captioned “Please, Save Our Soul (SOS)”
Sequel to the letter, the Governor directed the Ministry of Justice through a letter Ref. No. DTMJ.10/1554/143 and signed by one H. U. Ovili (Mrs.) for the Commissioner of Justice, Delta state, to interface with the parties, with the sole intention to broker a truce, that the other party refused to attend.
“We state that sequel to the letter, the Governor of the state directed the Ministry
of Justice to interface with the parties, with the sole intention to broker a truce.
“In furtherance of that directive from the Governor’s office the Ministry of Justice invited the parties to a meeting with it that the other party refused to attend.
“It is a surprise to us that instead of
honouring the invitation from the Ministry of Justice by the company, they have
resorted to intimidation of the workers to which our clients are members.
“Our ACP Sir, we state that the essence of our request is just to have a conducive
working environment with full prospect of having what is due us in the operation;
as we are partners in progress, and have the confidence that with thorough bread
officers in the SID, we are confident that you will not allow your good office as
tool of oppression and intimidation in the hands of a defaulting company management.
“Lastly, we plead with your good office to persuade the company management to
harken to the wish of the workers that is not at variance to labour requirement in
our country” Enafoma stated.
However, Barr Jindu Anigabor, Legal Adviser to Ogbeani Community (Host Community to Ashtavinayak Hydrocarbon Limited, (AHL), said the workers have over the years relied on the government for solution which never comes, revealing that if the government fails to intervene this time, “I am afraid the workers may have to resort to civil disobedience”.
“It is always promises and promises and the government does not commit to enforcing agreements between the company and the workers or even protecting workers rights when these agreement doesn’t exist.
“What the workers are doing there is slave labour compared to what is going on there. The host community Ogbeani is getting nothing. They are underemployed, untrained and the great jobs are reserved for outsiders. Majority of the indigenes works as manual and ordinary labour men. In terms of projects and human capital developments, the community is benefitting nothing.
“The meager sum earmarked in an earlier MoU has suffered from inflation and cannot suffix compared to the human and natural damages caused by this company by its industrial activities. The community is suffering and needs urgent intervention.
But the state government through Hon Peter Uviejitobor, Commissioner, Oil and Gas, Delta state said the state government expects peaceful dispositions from the parties involved to resolve the issues, warning that the state government would not tolerated anything that will jeopardize peaceful coexistence and cause breakdown of law and order.
Chief Lucky Ojumah, Community Liason Officer, (CLO), LPG, on his part, when contacted, said he would not want anybody to preempt him .
“I am ready to give all the information but l must get directive” he said.