Tension As Youths Threaten To Disrupt Oil Firm’s Operations In Akwa Ibom

The Nigerian oil production quantum may suffer a dip in the coming days as Akwa Ibom youths have threaten to disrupt oil and gas productions in Mbo local government area of the state.

Rising from a meeting in Enwang, the headquarters of the oil rich Mbo local government, the visibly angry youths accused an indigenous oil Firm, Oriental Energy resource limited of deploying a double standard in its operation as the company has blatantly refused to comply with NCDMB Guidelines in Host Communities Relation

The meeting had in attendance youth president and other critical stakeholders from Enwang, Ebughu, Effiat, Uda and Udesi as well as Obolo Youth Coalition Worldwide. The oil firm operates OML 115 and OML 67 also known as “Ebok and Okwok Fileds”.

Raising from the enlarged meeting, the youth vowed to stop the company from operating in the area over it alleged failure to comply with the policies and guidelines of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in relationship with host communities.

The statement endorsed by Emmanuel Essang the president general of Obolo Youth coalition worldwide and other youth president state succinctly that is company’s neglect has caused untold hardship to the people of the area.

Quoting copiously from the NCDMB act, Comrade Essang explained that it is mandatory for the oil firm to reserve all unskilled job roles for indigenes of the host communities where its project is domiciled.

The statement reads in part “At least 50 percent of semi-skilled job roles should be exclusively reserved for indigenes of the host community or communities where the operation is domiciled.

“At least 10 percent of skilled roles should be exclusively reserved for indigenes of the host communities where the project is domiciled. In the event the host community does not have qualified personnel to take over the 10 percent of the skilled, then the 10 percent slot shall be converted to additional relevant skill-training for the community or communities”.

“The company and youths of the host communities entered into an agreement in 2023 and 2024 at the NCDMB’s office at Eket in the state, where the firm agreed to engage the operations and supply chain department with a view to utilising any available opportunities in the regard.

“It is regrettably that after the meeting, the company had not complied with the agreement reached at the meeting have thrown the youth of the area into untold hardship and as they say an idle mind is a devil’s workshop”.

The statement call on the federal government to direct the oil firm to comply with NCDMB act as it relates to community content regulationtion.

It would be recalled that the Obolo Youth Coalition worldwide had in January given the oil firm a 21 day ultimatum to comply with the agreement signed with the host community but from the look of things the company has remained adamant in obeying the terms and letter of the agreement, thereby causing tension to continue to rise in the coastal community.