Oweiwari community, Biseni Clan in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has protested an alleged neglect and marginalisation by the management of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC. The community members, embarked on a peaceful protest against the company by barricading the road. They described the non-inclusion of their community as one of its hosts in the PIA board as a ploy to deprive them their legitimate right and against the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.
One of the community’s women who spoke during the protest, Ebiere Abigail, expressed sadness that their community was not listed in Agip:s Host Community Development Trust, HCDT , PIA Board de
spite their many years of sacrifice since the company started operations on their land in 1974.
Also a prominent indigene of the area, Elder John Obu who spoke on behalf of the protesters said as a law abiding people they have written series of petitions to the management of Agip as well as the Bayelsa State government to the prevail on the company to ensure the inclusion of their community in its ongoing Host Community Development Trust, HCDT , PIA Board. The community’s petitions titled, “The Omission of Oweiwari community in Biseni clan from PIA Board in Yenagoa LGA” jointly signed by the community paramount ruler, HRH Elijah Opiah, CDC chairman, Pastor Mark Solomon and Elder John Obu, Spokesperson were made available to newsmen. According to the community, “we are host to 24 oil and gas locations in Agbere field and Semabiri Field including the functional Biseni/Semabiri East- E Cluster/Flow station among others but omitted in Agip’s ongoing HCDT, PIA Board in Yenagoa/Ogbia LGA in Bayelsa.
“We are therefore calling on the company to include our community as one of its hosts as failure to do the same will be seen as a deliberate ploy to undermine and deprive our community of what is due us, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021. As a community, we are law-abiding and peace-loving people. Our protest is to draw attention to our plight.” The aggrieved natives also appealed to the state governor to wade into the matter by prevailing on the company to ensure the inclusion of their community in the HCDT, PIA board so as to give them a sense of belonging.
