Indigenes of Olomoro Community in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta have crippled operations of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30 operated by the Heritage Energy Oil Services Limited (HEOSL).

The aggrieved indigenes of the host community, yesterday, converged on the entrance of the oil firm in a peaceful protest to effect the action premised on alleged disengagement of eight of their kinsmen working with the company.

They claimed that their kinsmen were sacked without any reason.

The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions like: “Heritage, just reinstate all the indigenous workers” among others, also accused the company of unduly marginalising the host community.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the protest, Patron of Olomoro Indigenes Heritage Staff, Mr. Okpogbo Peter, vowed that the company would not be reopened until the affected staff were reabsorbed.

According to him, the disengaged workers were employees of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) before it was bought by the Nigerian Petroleum and Development Company (NPDC) in 2012.

He said that HEOSL had not employed any Olomoro indigene since it inherited the assets from NPDC in 2017.

Related News

“Shell requested that workers from the Olomoro community and their assets be transferred to NPDC in 2012. HEOSL bought the facilities in 2017.

“Since 2017, HEOSL has never employed anybody from Olomoro community, but would rather sack our people employed by Shell.

He said the community disagreed with their disengagement, adding that Heritage had no right to sack any of the community workers that were employed by Shell.

He added that Heritage  owed Olomoro community slots, therefore, the sacked workers should be recalled.

Peter said the action would be sustained until the workers were reabsorbed.

Also, one of the disengaged staff of the company, Mr. Steve Okaro, alleged that the company had made series of illegal employment over the years which had over-bloated the staff strength.

Okaro alleged that another company was attempting to buy HEOSL but, however, complained of the over-bloated staff strength.