Onne youths protest plan reallocation of SNEPCO to Lagos

Hundreds of youths from Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State yesterday carried out a peaceful protest over an alleged plan by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNEPCO to reallocate to Lagos.

The youths who were armed with placards that bore so many inscriptions such as “we are sensing high level of nepotism, please save our port.

“Onne is safe. NPA please prevail on SNEPCO not to leave Onne port.

“Onne youths council are calling on SNEPCO not to reallocate from Onne port to already congested port,” said reallocation of the company to Lagos will lead to lost of jobs.

The leader of the protesters and the President of Onne youths Council , Philip John Tenwa said the reallocation of the company from Onne to Lagos will lead to lost of over 5,000 jobs.

He said that Onne is peaceful and conducive for any business operation to thrive and wondered why the company would want to leave Onne port.

He said “we demonstrated against plan by SNEPCO to leave Onne. Onne port has good facilities to accommodate them. If they leave we will lose more than 5,000 jobs”

“We don’t want them to leave. Why do they want to leave.? All we are asking them is to remain and do their business at Onne port.”

He said that the group has written letters concerning the matter which he said will be dispatch to relevant government agencies.

Also speaking the paramount ruler of Onne community , Dr J.D. Osaronu appealed to SNEPCO not to reallocate saying that the community is peaceful for any business to thrive.

He said that it is not fair to move SNEPCO to area that is already congested saying that Onne community has maintained peace as to enable business to operate.

Efforts made to speak with Shell on the matter proves abortive but a source from the company said that they want to reallocate SNEPCO close to Bonga oil field where it can easily access its headquarters in Lagos.

King Osaronu commended the youths for their peaceful conduct and also called on SNEPCo to rescind its decision to leave the community.

“We appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nyesom Wike and other well-meaning Nigerians to stop this move by SNEPCo,” he said.