BREAKING: Odidi Flow Station In Delta OML 42 Shutdown Over Unpaid Monies
By Binebai Princewill
Odidi Flow Station In Delta OML 42 is currently shutdown following prolonged unsettled issues between indigenous contractors and the entire management of Neconde Energy Company Limited. The Liberator Newspaper can report.
The protest was carried out by indigenes under the aegis of Kantu/Odidi Core Indigenous Contractors Forum earlier today in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta.
Speaking on behalf of the core indigenous contractors of Neconde Energy Company Limited, Hon. Saturday Timinimi, Chairman of the forum hinted journalists on the reasons behind the protest leading to the shutdown of the Odidi Flow Station.
Hon. Timinimi decried the level of frosty relationship between the contractors and their host, Neconde Energy Company Limited, he particularly berated the company for not living up expectation with the contractors.
Not even the heavy downpour could stop the people of Kantu/Odidi communities as they thronged out in their numbers for the heavy protest, branding placards with different inscriptions.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards reads: “Neconde must go, NNPC,NPDC please come to our aid, Nigeria Police help us, Obijackson Group of Companies must go, pay our contractors or leave our land, President Muhammadu Buhari, please save us from this slavery, we are dying of hunger, Governor Okowa please hear our cries.”
On his part, Hon. Friday Deinghan, mobilization officer of the Kantu/Odidi Contractors Forum had justified the shutdown as the best option for the people, stressing that they can no longer keep quiet on the face of glaring oppression and neo colonisation foised on them by Neconde Energy Company Limited and its group of companies.
However, Hon. Friday had revealed that Neconde Energy Company Limited has been treating the contractors as slaves by withholding their payments for several months.
Describing the scenario, Hon. Deinghan said while some contractors are owed 16 months, others are being owed 14, 12 and 10 months as the case may be, he continued by saying the non payment of the contractors had brought untold hardship to them and their families as it is not easy to cope under such circumstance.
While addressing the press, Deinghan maintained that each time the contractors are making their legitimate demands, Mr. Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi, Chief Executive Officer of Neconde Energy Company Limited has been using the military to intimidate them to scuttle their demands.
On their parts, Hon. Daniel Adidi, Mr. Bene Mamamu, a youth leader in Odidi and an aged woman also spoke in similar manner that the flare will continue to remain shutdown until Neconde Energy Company Limited is ready to pay the contractors at least 80% of the total money the company is owing them.
They continued that anything less than that will not be acceptable as they are pushing for the total removal of Neconde and its group of companies.
Meanwhile, the contractors had called on President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Okowa of Delta State and other relevant agencies and stakeholders to wade into the matter as they have suffered more than enough in the hands of Mr. Ernest Azudialu.
The contractors insisted that they have no issue with the security agencies, and are not disrespecting the federal government of Nigeria and the Delta State Government by shutting down the flowstation but revealed that they are people pushed to the wall and now fighting for their rights and survival.
Earlier, Hon. Saturday Timinimi, Chairman of the Kantu/Odidi Indigenous Contractors Forum noted that now that the Odidi Flow Station is down, there is likelihood of other Flow Stations in OML 42 to shutdown as they are allegedly suffering same fate.
