— Stop sponsoring illegal campaign – firm warns Otuaro

By Ebi Perekeme 

The Central Youth Body and the leadership of various communities in Warri South-West and Burutu Local Government Areas, in Delta state, have again called on the management of Ocean Marine Solutions, OMS, warning them not to take their peaceful demands for justice, equity, for granted.

The youths also threaten to make the region unfavourable over the continuous negligence by the company for just the communities leader who boycotts them in contract arrangements.

The youths reaction is coming against the backdrop of a publication made on some national dailies, warning the company that they are faceless youths.

In a communique issued to journalists at the end of an emergency meeting in the state, the youths accused two Ocean Marine Solutions Limited staff, Akpos Mezeh and Don Dickson Ogugu for conspiring to use fictitious names and signatures to make the said publication.

The youths also called on the Inspector-General of Police and President Muhammadu Buhari to order the security agents to investigate those who purportedly signed the said publication, which was capable of causing crisis in Delta State.

The communique reads: “We are not faceless youths, either are we fighting against our Traditional Councils or Community Development Committee Executive officers.

“What we are demanding from Captain Hosa Okunbor and his management team to engage the leadership of the Youths in the Central, Kingdoms and Sub-communities, in respect of Youths Employment for the surveillance guards along Pipeline Right of Way (PRoW) in Warri Escravos and Forcadors, otherwise there will be no peace.

“Captain Hosa Okunbor should come down to the creek to hold a meeting with us, to ascertain the truth whether we are truly faceless or we are not the authentic youths Leaders in our various Jurisdictions/Communities instead of allowing himself to be deceived by criminal elements that will lead his Company to doom.

“We are not afraid of them; we will continue to use peaceful means to demand our rightful job slots, but OMS should not take our peaceful demands for justice and equity, for granted by pushing us to the wall.”

In another development, the General Manager, Chartering Operations, Mr. Olabode Isijola, while responding to the call by the youths, accused the Opinion Leader, Bullet Otuaro, of sponsoring illegal campaign in the region.

In his words: “As a company, we have refrained from reacting to any of the lies and blackmails that is been promoted by Bullet Otuaro and his colleagues.

“What we have done is that we have allowed the individual community to speak for themselves. They are the constituted representatives of each of these communities.

“As a company, we do not have any further comment to make on this development. Reach out to the individual host community on the RoW and confirm the veracity of the lies been peddle by Bullet Otuaro is colleagues.

“We did not sign that communique, it is the community along the RoW that issued and signed the communique.”

The Meeting was attended by the Warri Escravos and Forcados (Burutu) Opinion Leader, Hon. Bullet Otuaro; Youth President Warri South-West LGA, Comrade Mandela Bomini; Youth President Burutu LGA and Odimodi Community, Akin Edisemi Disi; and President Iduwini Kingdom, Nelson Andrew.

Other Youths President include Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Ogbona Bibo, Benikrukru, Comrade Imoun M. Emomotimi, Kunukunuma Community, Benard P. Okirika, Diebiri Kingdom, Godwin Yokiri, Azama Community, Layefa Ekpedi, Okerenkoko Federated Community, Ebikebina Raymond Ekpemupolo, Pepeama Community, Hon. Evis Atamba, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Shadrach Onitsha Ebikeme, Opudebubor, Nanakumo Samuel Ebikeme, amongst others.