Imo Community Protests ‘Deceptive’ Oil Exploration Agreement

The Umuokoroka kindred of Asa community in the Ohaji/Egbema, Imo State, has protested against Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, citing deception and exclusion from the signing of a Freedom To Operate (FTO) agreement and Job Order for oil exploration.

The protest occurred on Friday at Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited’s operation base in Obiti, in the Ohaji/Egbema local government area of Imo State.

The protesters claimed they were deceived into signing a document for outright sale instead of a lease, which was the agreement.

A community leader, Chief Celestine Azuoma, told newsmen that the oil company deceived them into signing a document, falsely claiming that they had sold their lands when, in fact, they had only leased their land for oil exploration.

Further, he alleged that the oil company colluded with some town union leaders to exclude them from the signing process and denied them job opportunities and other benefits.

Azuoma said the principal landowners wanted to be included in signing the FTO and Job Order and demanded that they be made aware of its contents.

Some inscriptions include “our land, our food, our future; where are our rights, Watersmith? We need to see the FTO agreement; give us our rights, we are hungry,” amongst others.

An octogenarian community leader, David Ogbuanu, accused some town union executives of sabotaging the agreement and called on the Imo State Government to intervene and stop the process until all issues were resolved.

Ogbuanu said, “The problem is that a few town union executives have ganged up against the people they represent by sabotaging the agreement. We call Governor Hope Uzodimma to intervene and stop the process until all our concerns are resolved.”

Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Community Relations Manager of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited proved abortive. He did not take the calls put to his line or reply to the messages sent to his GSM.