Ogbeani people and the entire people of Ndokwa nation have cried to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state to save their souls over the alleged maltreatment of community workers by the management of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), Kwale, Ndokwa West local government area of the state.
They lamented that they are dying in silence, particularly from the mistreatment the Ogbeani community workers receive from the company’s management even though it operates on their land, threatening to resist it henceforth.
According to Mr Courageous Ozor, Chairman, Mr Kumi Christopher, PRO, Mr Enemuwe Peter, Secretary, and Mr Aninwe Edward, Treasurer, representatives of the company’s community workers, they demand 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 failed to implement to improve their lives. Some strangers (supra) workers are well cared for, while all efforts to resolve the disagreement amicably have 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 where we stand to say ‘no more’.
“However, it touched our hearts that strangers in the same company, particularly the Lagos man, have power and juicy terms and conditions in their respective employment letters.
“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.
“We contend that the negligence of the company against our client, as complained above, is a deliberate act designed to further enslave the Ogbeani people on whose rich land the company operates and put them into perpetual pain against good conscience, equity and natural justice.
“The Ogbeani people and the entire people of the Ndokwa nation are known for peace, and that peace, we stand, praying your Excellency with all 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 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 a last resort, to help save the lives of these innocent ones before they all perish. Behold, a stitch in time saves nine.
While the complaint 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 February 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)”
In a sequel to the letter, the Governor directed the Ministry of Justice through a letter Ref. No. DTMJ.10/1554/143, signed by one H. U. Ovili (Mrs.) for the Commissioner of Justice, Delta state, to interface with the parties with the sole intention of brokering a truce that the other party refused to attend.
“We state that in the sequel to the letter, the state’s governor directed the Ministry of Justice to interface with the parties, intending to broker a truce.
“In furtherance of that directive from the Governor’s office, the Ministry of Justice invited the parties to a meeting that the other party refused to attend.
“It is a surprise to us that instead of honouring the company’s invitation from the Ministry of Justice, they have resorted to intimidating 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 the complete prospect of having what is due us in 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 a tool of oppression and intimidation in the hands of defaulting company management.
“Lastly, we plead with your good office to persuade the company management to listen to the wishes of the workers that are not at variance to labour requirements 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 a 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 agreements don’t exist.
“What the workers are doing there is slave labour compared to what is happening there. The host community, Ogbeani, is getting nothing. They are underemployed and untrained, and the great jobs are reserved for outsiders. The majority of the indigenes work as manual and ordinary labour men. Regarding projects and human capital developments, the community is benefitting nothing.
“The meagre sum earmarked in an earlier MoU has suffered from inflation and cannot be 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 tolerate anything that will jeopardise peaceful coexistence and cause breakdown of law and order.
When contacted, Chief Lucky Ojumah, Community Liaison Officer (CLO), LPG, on his part, said he would not want anybody to preempt him.
He said, “I am ready to give all the information, but I must get a directive.”