Imo community threatens oil firm over alleged breach of agreement

Umuofeke Agwa community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State has accused an oil firm, Sterling Global Resources Limited, of breaching of a Memorandum of Understanding signed 11 years ago.

The community, in a statement yesterday by its chairman, Dandison Aguigbo, threatened to sue the firm if it failed to comply with the terms of the MoU within 24 hours.

It also threatened to mobilize its youth to stop the company from operating in the community.

“Your company has totally breached the provisions of the memorandum of understanding it entered into with our people on the 28th February 2008 and your latest directives constitute a unilateral alteration of the said MOU which cannot , in any way be accepted by our people, as we vehemently reject the directives in its entirety. Please, do not add insult to the injury you have given us so far. We are a people of revered intelligence, wisdom and knowledge and you should not think we are morons.

“We have, for over 11 years of your oil exploration and production activities in our community, maintained calm and tranquility even in the face of total neglect of our people by your company. It might interest you to note that almost all our farmlands have been taken away by your company with little compensation or nothing at all paid to our people , who now wallow in abject poverty , as our main source of livelihood has been divested of us,” the community said.

The firm’s base manager in Owerri, Kasi Rao, confirmed receipt of a protest letter from community, saying he had communicated it to the headquarters of the firm in Lagos.