Pepeama Indigenes Protest Exclusion By Matrix Energy In OML42 Projects

Pepeama community in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State are protesting against Matrix Energy Ltd for excluding the descendants of Pozi Tuwabor (nee Ogeh) from benefiting in the ongoing projects and activities in Oil Mining Lease 42 (OML42).

In a letter delivered via DHL, Matrix Energy Ltd was urged to ensure equal benefits for the descendants of Pozi Tuwabor to maintain peace within the community.

The protest letter, signed on behalf of the Pozi Ogeh-Tuwabor Descendants by Madam Brass Piniki, Apst Noah Douperegha Kemezide, Mr Ebi Alakiri, and Moses Mala, was prompted by a verdict from His Majesty, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

The Gbaramatu Monarch’s 2022 verdict had directed that the contributions to development and proceeds from Pepeama should be equally shared among the three quarters in the community, namely Pozi, Oyi, and Fafa.

The protest letter to Matrix Energy Ltd emphasized the descendants’ demand for compliance with the expressed verdict on Pepeama by their king.

It further stated that achieving the directive and ensuring desired peace would involve consciously engaging the descendants as owner-stakeholders in the project.

It could be recalled that the Pozi Descendants had earlier written to Matrix Energy Ltd on July 15, 2022, expressing their exclusion from the scheme of projects in OML42. However, their concerns were apparently disregarded.

The letter reads; “Please note that it is our humble and irreducible demand that the community relations of your company’s operations, going forward, should reflect compliance with the expressed verdict on Pepeama by our king, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

“The directive as it affects us can be achieved for desired peace by consciously engaging us, the owner-stakeholders, to formally and effectively belong to the project.

“We hold Matrix Energy Ltd up as a responsible company and hence trust that you will unmistakably embark on demanded exhaustive engagements of the owner-stakeholders to secure sustenance of seamless operations”, the letter posited, stressing: “We further appeal that your inactions in the foregoing regard does not create avoidable crisis”.