Youths from Chevron’s host communities at Koluama in Southern Ijaw Local Government, Bayelsa today demonstrated at the Community Development Foundation’s Yenagoa office to protest alleged neglect.

Hundreds of youths who carried placards and sang solidarity songs besieged the office to demand explanations for non-payment of compensation for the January 2012 rig explosion.

Youths from the Koluama 2 community in Bayelsa had on September 15, 2014 boarded and occupied the North Apoi oil platform operated by Chevron over non-payment of compensation for the rig blowout.

They only vacated the facility after officials of the oil firm opted for dialogue brokered by the Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Maj-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe.

Speaking on today’s protest, Mr Stephen Ebrasin, spokesman of the youths, said that they were seeking to draw the attention of the oil firm to the plight of the communities caused by the rig explosion and the non-implementation of development projects in the community.

He said: “We are here because of Chevron’s failure to pay adequate compensation for the KS Eandeavour rig explosion and failure to clean up the area.

“The rural development foundation to carry out development projects in line with the GMoU model company that the company agreed to fund, for the past three years they have not carried out any development.

“The foundation has also not convened annual general meeting for the past two years where we are supposed to present our development needs, the foundation has abandoned us and we are here to find out why.”

When contacted for comments, Mr Sola Adebawo, Manager, Communications & Public Affairs at Chevron Nigeria Ltd., said that the oil firm would respond in due course.

•Photo shows protesting youths of Chevron’s host communities at Koluama, Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State.

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