Heavy Protest Rocks Bayelsa Community Over Coastal Erosion From Oil Companies

Youths and residents of Sangana Community in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have embarked on a massive protest against the Nigerian government, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and seven oil companies operating in their domain over alleged neglect which led to dreaded coastal erosion in the area.

The intervention of the political leadership, chiefs, elders of the people of the Sangana kingdom halted a breakdown of law and order, which could have shut down multi-million dollars crude oil production in the area.
It was gathered that the protesters were provoked by the deliberate neglect by the Federal Government and the oil companies with the raging coastal erosion swallowing up almost a kilometer of old Sangana which is ancestral base of Sangana.

The protesters, who were armed with placards with inscription such as “WE ARE A PEACEFUL PEOPLE AND DO NOT ENVISAGE A BREAK DOWN OF LAW AND ORDER”, “SAVE SANGANA KINGDOM FROM THE RAVAGING SEA ENCROACHMENT”, “WE PRODUCE THE BLACK OIL OF THE NATION AND DESERVE BETTER” and “SAVE OUR LAND, ANCESTRAL HERITAGE, PROPERTIES AND ECONOMIC VALUABLES”, cried out that the old Sangana was going to extinction if nothing was done to protect the city from the ravaging sea scourge.

According to the protesters, the federal Government, its agency, the NDDC and the oil companies working in their area; Consolidated oil & gas company, Statoil, Shell (H-Block), Chevron, NIGDEL, etc, have neglected the community.
The protest took place from the beginning of the community to the community river.

But for the intervention of the political leadership, chiefs, elders of the people, there would have been a breakdown of law and order, which could have shut down crude production in the area.
The Community Development Chairman of Sangana kingdom, Mr. Preboye Reuben, said the federal Government, NDDC and its host oil companies had allegedly refused to perform their corporate social responsibility in Sangana kingdom where it had been extracting oil for the past three decades.

Reuben noted that “It is 25 years now since the NNPC and its multinational oil companies started crude oil production , and yet, the Nigerian state has yet to show that it honours and recognise where the company has continued to extract crude oil for four decades.”

He lamented that the primary school of his alma mater, his father and grandfathers houses are all under water.
“We are calling on Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the MD of NDDC, to save a sister community, Sangana, Bayelsa State. In 2009, NDDC under the leadership of former MD Mr Timi Alaibe, awarded shore protection in Sangana but it was abandoned after 30% completion in 2010.”

“Now, we have another Bayelsa man at the helm of affairs in NDDC. Letters in this regard have been written to the new NDDC management but to no avail.”
He stressed that with the current reality of coastal erosion in the area, Sangana kingdom will be no more in the next ten years.

He called on the federal government, the NDDC and the oil companies working in the area to as a matter of urgent public importance come to the aid of the communities.

Also speaking, the King of Moko Ama, Sangana kingdom, MOSES THEOPHILUS, Kenibara V11 of Sangana Clan, said they were tired of writing letters to official quarters of government seeking intervention without any fruitful response.

He stated, “And today, we are saying we are tired after writing over 30 letters to various departments of government Agency like the NDDC, with oil companies operating in the area.”
Also, Uroh Omirkumoh Kiani, Mr. Awontimite Boussa, the women leader of Sangana kingdom (Bethel Wanatoi) all expressed their plight and concerns.