Isoko protest, shut down flow station over marginalization

By Kelvin Ohoror

Isoko nation have shut down Olomoro/ Oleh flow station over non-recognition and for excluding them from employment recruitments.

Under the aegis of Isoko Youth Assembly led by its president, Comrade Onoriode Gold Omagufi; President of Isoko Development Union, Youths Wing, Comrade Obokpaino Fidelis, and President of Niger-Delta ex-agitators, Isoko Chapter, Comrade Joseph Okor, they shut down Olomoro flow station while brandishing placards bearing various inscriptions such as; “We say no to marginalisation, unemployment, youth deprivation”, “We say yes to our rightful percentage, contracts grant, employment of skilled and unskilled youths,” and many others.

Speaking during the protest, Omagufi said: “the reason behind today’s protest, is the marginalisation of Isoko youths by all multinational oil companies operating in the area.

The oil companies include; NPDC, Heritage, Shoreline and many others.

“They have completely deprived Youths of Isoko nation from the various benefits accruing to us. There is a percentage they should give us and we are supposed to be part of the workforce. They have not employed any youth here and they came with all their workers to our land depriving us of our benefits.”

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Obokpaino Fidelis said: “The rate of u n e m p l o y m e n t , joblessness and poverty is unthinkable. The youth of Isoko land still wallow in the hallow chamber of economic injustice.

The economic disequilibrium has been very obvious. “The youths are not independent, thereby presenting to us a cheque of hopelessness yet fastening our legs to the iron rod of bankruptcy.”

He said such injustice must not continue in the country, adding: “The management of NPDC, Heritage, Shoreline must immediately include youths of Isoko nation in vacant skill and unskilled positions in their companies and give Isoko youths the recognition due to them.”