Residents
of oil producing communities in Ondo State on Wednesday alleged that
Esso Exploration Production Nigeria Limited had deliberately ignored its
social responsibilities to them.
They therefore threatened to embark on a peaceful
protest if the company management continued with its alleged lukewarm
attitude towards their plight.
The people under the auspices of the Committee of
Coastal Oil Producing Communities on Deep Sea Operations, stated this in
a letter signed by the Chairman, Mr. Erejuwa Adesina, and the
Secretary, Mr. Kayode Ojutiri.
Copies of the letter, they said, had been sent to the
company’s Managing Director, the presidency, the state governor and the
Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
They alleged that the company deliberately refused to
perform its responsibilities to them, since it began operations in the
area.
They also alleged that the company made its host
communities to suffer unwarranted hardship caused by its operations in
their waterways.
They regretted that many peaceful approaches made by
the people to invite the management of the company for a meeting and
make their grievances known were frustrated by the company.
However, an official of the firm, who spoke to our
correspondent over the telephone on the condition of anonymity, said the
company had never failed in its social responsibility to the
communities.
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