Angry Bayelsa Community Indigenes shutdown 30,000 barrel per day Conoil Facility over failed GMoU

Scores of Youths and women from Koluama Communities and satellite camps in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on Monday invaded the crude oil production facility owned by the Conoil Producing Limited over alleged refusal to renew an expired Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with the host communities.

The breached oil Facility known as Angle 2 field operated by Conoil since 2012 has the production capacity of crude production of over 30,000 barrels per day.

The angry koluama indigenes, made up of women, youths, and elders, stormed the facility at about 1 pm on Tuesday armed with placards with inscription such as “No GMoU, No Crude oil exploration”, Conoil pack, and Go, We are tired of suffering” and “Koluama people are suffering”, demanding a peaceful shutting down of operations at the facility.

NAIJA LIVE TV reported that Despite the heavy presence of armed soldiers and other security personnel, the officials of Conoil obliged and shut down its operation. The noticeable gas flaring was put off.

The protesting Koluama Indigenes however vowed to occupy the oil platform until their demands on scholarships and education issues, employment of indigenes, and the provision of electricity through the building of turbine are met by the company through the signing of a new and workable GMoU.

The Youth President of Koluama Community, Comrade Kiwei Emmanuel Philip told newsmen that the community is tired of the manipulations of the Conoil management since the former GMoU expired over 14 months ago, ”we have come here to occupy and sack the Conoil. They are operating in our community without a GMoU. Our people do not even have a person working in the company at the moment. We cannot accommodate them anymore.”

The women led by the Woman Leader, China Ezekhia, said the women and the youths are suffering without employment. They vowed to sustain the occupation of the platform.

The Oil and Gas Chairman of Kolumama communities, Ebimielayefa Dick Ogbeyan, while addressing the security personnel on duty, said the communities embarked on the angry action because all effort to seek amicable settlement had failed,” From inception, Conoil have never employed our indigene. We sat together and agreed on a GMoU, but they failed to implement it all. And now, it has expired over 14 months ago and they have refused to sign another one.”

“We have done all that is needed to be done but they refused. We have met leaders of security agencies, Governments, and other stakeholders to prevail on Conoil but they refused. The stakeholders agreed with us on this action. The Community wants them to pack peacefully, We know we are not getting anything and we are not expecting anything. They cannot be getting so much from oil exploration from our land and we are not getting anything.”

“We are here to carefully and peacefully ask them to pack without bloodshed. There should be no quarrel or fighting. The people of Koluama communities are tired with Conoil.”

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