TotalEnergies’ Land Donors Protest Alleged Neglect, Marginalisation

The Umu-Aye community in Ogbogu Town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State has protested alleged neglect and marginalisation by TotalEnergies.

The protesters said they are the principal land donors of the Ogbogu Flow Station and associated facilities under OML 58 and expressed sadness over what they described as 27 years of neglect by the energy multinational.

They alleged that since 1999, no son or daughter of Umu-Aye has been employed by the company, despite the presence of qualified graduates from the community.

The protesters, mostly women carrying placards, accused TotalEnergies of denying them employment and contracts despite being host community members.

Some of the placards read; “No employment since 1999. We need our land”, “No MoU since 1999” and “Give us local content contracts.”

A community leader, Pastor Nwakanma Agi, said five families make up the Umu-Aye community and that they own over 60 per cent of the facilities.

He said the community has not benefitted adequately since giving out its land over 50 years ago, noting that the last employment of indigenes was in 1999.

According to him, major contracts are awarded to outsiders, while community members are left with menial jobs.

The women leader of the community, Mrs Blacky Moses, said TotalEnergies had refused to employ qualified youths from Umu-Aye.

She also raised concerns about environmental pollution, loss of farmland and health challenges allegedly caused by oil operations.