Three communities in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have shut down operations at the Shell Petroleum Distribution Company (SPDC), Flow station Excravos Warri.

The protesters who included men, women, youths and children of Ogidigben, Ajudaibo and Mandagho communities, occupied the installation located in their community, which is also a major place where crude oil is assembled for exportation.

The peaceful protest, which commenced on Thursday, led protesters to carry placards clearly explaining their grievance against an alleged neglect by the SPDC, in the provision of water and constant electricity in their communities.

They demanded potable water while lamenting that their only access for water, were ponds in different locations in the community.

Protesters disclosed that a generator set powers the community only for a few hour, as they cannot afford to buy diesel on daily basis to power it.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, operators at the Nigerian oil and gas industry are expected to show case a well-articulated and effectively publicized social responsibility policy as well as implement programmes that would be beneficial to its host communities.

The calamitous state in the oil and gas host communities of the Niger Delta, however, appears to contradict the corporate social responsibility performance claims of the entire operators of the industry.

According to the people, there have been various meetings between the community leadership and the company representatives, during which agreements were even signed but never kept.

In fresh agreements, the SPDC says it has a mission in Nigeria to become: “The operator of first choice, through a commitment to strong economic performance and to every aspect of sustainable development.

Also in its policy statement, SPDC which is responsible for over 40% of the total national production, insisted that “through its community investment programmes, the company is demonstrating its commitment to improving the quality of life for all those who live and work in the Niger/Delta.

“With this re-iteration by the SPDC, host communities have renewed hopes and therefore expect more commitment from the oil company, especially in the area of basic infrastructural needs.”

•Sourced from Channels TV. Photo shows some of the protesters.

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