The activities of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited came to a standstill on Wednesday when Youths of Eket, Onna, Esit Eket and Ibeno L.G.As embarked on a peaceful protest over June 29, 2014 Oil Spill from Mobil facilities offshore.
The Youths numbering over 500 blocked the entrances leading to the company’s Airstrip along Oron Road Eket, displaying playcards with inscriptions such as “Mobil enough of these spillage”, “Stop further devastation of our environment”, “We need immediate clean-up of the Oil Spill”, “No compensation, No work” and “Engage us in the clean-up exercise” among others.
Security operatives of the company stood-by watching helplessly as the youths sang war songs, accusing Mobil of exhibiting nonchalant attitude towards its host communities, our correspondent reports.
Speaking on behalf of the youths, comrade Godwin Nduaesa, President Eket Youths Council said that the most annoying aspect of it all is for Mobil to declare that the oil spill only affected some parts of Ibeno Local Government Area and that Eket, Onna, and Esit Eket are not affected.
Comrade Nduaesa said further that the antics of Mobil to cause disaffection among the catchment communities will not work, adding that Mr. Akaninyene Esiere who is an indigene of Akwa Ibom State and Manager Public Affairs of the company is in a better position to have advised management of the oil giant on how best to handle the oil spill compensation issue.
He called on the company not to attempt any absurd policy that will further exacerbate the already tense situation in the core community regarding the yet to be paid oil spill compensation of November 2013.
The protesting youths demanded for an immediate clean-up of the oil spill by involving youths of Eket, Onna, Esit-Eket and Ibeno Local Government Areas and as well find a way to put a permanent stop to the recurrent oil spillage from its facilities.
In a release made available to the press on Tuesday, Mr. Akaninyene Esiere, Manager Public Affairs Q.I.T, had admitted that some quantity of crude oil spilled into the Atlantic Ocean from its facilities offshore caused by thunder and lightning and that the spillage only affected a few villages in Ibeno Local Government Area, adding that relevant authorities including NOSDRA have been contacted and measures have been put in place to mitigate the effect of the spillage.
It would be recalled that a major oil spill occurred in November 2013 from Mobil which sparked off series of protest from the core communities. The compensation of that spillage is yet to be paid and there are reports of frayed nerves arising from the way the company is handling the issue.
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