Job Osazuwa
Residents of Ojumole community in Ugbo Kingdom, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, under the auspices of Concerned Bonafide Ojumole Community, have called on Chevron Nigeria Limited to ensure their community is safe while the latter carry out its field operation.
The community spokesperson, Emiloju Owoyele, who made the call yesterday, in Lagos, faulted a recent publication (not Daily Sun), where it was asserted that Ojumole community was located in Ikorigho land.
He said the move was an attempt to deprive the prodigious people of Ojumole of their entitlements from the oil company.
While calling on Chevron to make the environment safe for residents and the natural endowment, he argued further that Ojumole was an autonomous community in the Ugbo Kingdom and not under any community.
“In the publication, the people of Ikorigho described the location of the inferno that destroyed incalculable property as part of Ikorigho land instead of Ojumole and demanded compensation.
“We, the people of Ojumole community are happy that Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) is aware of the fact that Ojumole oil field which belongs to Ojumole community is in NNPC/ CNIL JVS, located in the western Niger Delta area of operations,” the community said.
The group called on Chevron to put out the fire to reduce further adverse effects on the community.
The community spokesperson urged Chevron to disregard any misleading publication emanating from some people who are bent on distorting the history of the people.
They also accused the company of negligence, saying it might be the cause of the recent fire outbreak which has wreaked immeasurable havoc on the people.
“Furthermore, we want to state here that Ojumole oil well is not a dry well as claimed by CNL and we therefore urge CNL to commence operation so that Ojumole community and other affected communities would get commensurable compensation for the damage suffered through the CNL’s operations in the environment.
“We know that Chevron is committed to the safety of the communities and the environment within its areas of operation in other places. We, therefore, want such great commitment to be shown in Ojumole oil field operation.
“We warned CNL never to have any dealings or negotiations with any group of people except the bonafide people of Ojumole community in Ugbo kingdom in the Ilaje Local Government of Ondo State.”