The apparent neglect of host communities by international oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria has drawn flaks from the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, Brain Gokpa.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the CTC Chairman of Eleme LGA, Udeme Obot said Gokpa gave knocks to the IOCs on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 while addressing youths of Alode Community in Eleme LGA.

The Alode youths were holding a peaceful protest against alleged marginalization and neglect by the Nigerian National Petroelum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its subsidiaries at the gate of the Port Harcourt Refinery in Eleme, Rivers State.

Gokpa lamented that “our youths suffer in the midst of plenty. This is an anomaly,” urging the NNPCL, its subsidiaries and multinationals operating in the country to do better in terms of positively impacting their host communities.

He called for calm, chargING the youths to remain law-abiding as they demand their rights, assuring them of the LG Council’s support.

“You must remain law-abiding as you press for your demands, and I can assure you of council’s support to get management to meet your demands.”

The youths, who, according to the Youth Leader of Alode Community, Igwe Shadrach said, included graduates, skilled and semi-skills youths, said they adopted the last option within their reach to get the attention of NNPCL and its subsidiaries.

“We have been neglected and marginalized for too long,” he said. “We are demanding for our rights and benefits from the company. They completely abandoned the local content act in their labor process.”

Shadrach, who is the Youth Leader from Alode, one of the host communities of the Port Harcourt Refinery, stated that the protesters had sought an audience with the management of Technimont, NNPC, and its subsidiaries but were rebuffed.

This protest is coming as the nation’s premier Refinery warms up to commence production after years of rehabilitation.

Youths from its host communities in Eleme LGA, who gathered in their numbers, carrying placards to express their grievances and demands, staged the peaceful protest against the company’s management for being marginalized in the employment process.