The indigenes of Olomoro Community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta have shut down operations of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30 operated by the Heritage Energy Oil Services Limited (HEOSL) over an alleged disengagement of eight of their kinsmen.

The aggrieved indigenes of the host community on Sunday converged on the entrance of the oil firm to protest the disengagement of their kinsmen working with the company.

The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions like, “Heritage, just reinstate all the indigenous workers”, among others, claimed their kinsmen were sacked without any reason and that the company was unduly marginalising the host community.

Addressing journalists shortly after the protest, the patron of Olomoro indigenes, Okpogbo Peter, vowed that the company would not be reopened until the affected staff were reabsorbed.

According to him, the disengaged workers were employees of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) before it was bought by the Nigerian Petroleum and Development Company (NPDC) in 2012.

He said that HEOSL had not employed any Olomoro indigene since it inherited the assets from NPDC in 2017.

He said Heritage had no right to sack any of the community workers that were employed by Shell, adding that the action would be sustained until the workers were reabsorbed.

Also, one of the disengaged staff of the company, Steve Okaro, alleged that the company had made a series of illegal employment over the years, which had over-bloated the staff strength.

“We learnt that a new company is coming to take over from Heritage, but it’s like the company is complaining of the staff strength.

“Now, they want to let some workers go, and it is the community workers. Those workers they employed through the back doors, they did not touch them.

“They are owning Olomoro community more slots, and they are dropping our people. We are saying, no way, we cannot take it from them. All the eight sacked workers should be reinstated,” he said.

However, the company’s spokesperson, identified as Williams, said he was not authorised to speak to journalists.

“I am not allowed to speak with the press. It is not my function. I will send you the contact of the real person to speak with,” Mr Williams said. 

(NAN)