Ugbo Youths Protest Against Appointment Of OSOPADEC Chairman
Following the appointment of Hon.Gbenga Edema as chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Commission by the state governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the youths in Ugbo Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government area of the state on Monday stormed the streets of Akure to protest against his appointment .
The protesters, who were carrying placards with various inscriptions such as: “Ugbo People Demand for their Right,” Oil Communities in Ugbo Kingdom Say” No Gbenga Edema and Oil Prodicing Communities Demand for their Mandate,OSOPADEC chairmanship,” protested against Edema who was appointed as the commision ‘s chairman on April 6.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the Chairman of Ugbo Youths Kingdom, Mr Sunday Nana ,said they were appalled that the the commission’s chairman was appointed against the act of the commission.
Nana said, “Government has singlehandedly imposed Edema and we are baffled because he is not from oil producing community. In the history of Ondo State, this has never happened but Akeredolu’s decision is detrimental to our destiny because it is an injury to the entire Ugbo kingdom.
“The act is so clear, it is only the host communities that can benefit from all benefits accrued from oil and what Akeredolu is doing now is against the OSOPADEC act 2003. And we are saying that he should return our right because we cannot stand this injustice while our right is being taken to another area.
” Edema is from Mahin while the secretary is from Ese-Odo and these communities are not oil producing communities. These other representatives are part time in the commission and two are given to us, meaning that if chairman and the secretary decide not to call meeting for the next one year, it means that the owner of the oil will not be involved.”
Nana however threatened that if Akeredolu refused to revise the.decision within three days, the youths would go back to the creek,shutting down oil installation and operations.
