The Delta State chairman of the Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), Monoyo Edon, has urged Chevron Nigeria Limited and other international oil companies (IOCs) with operations in Itsekiriland to prioritise corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives for their host communities.
Edon stated this while condemning the recent attack on Chevron pipelines in the Dibi-Olero-Abiteye Fields in the Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Speaking in an interview on TVC News on Friday, the youth leader described Chevron’s approach to engagement with Itsekiri communities over the years as more of a public relations (PR) effort, rather than genuine corporate social responsibility.
“PR cannot take the place of CSR,” Edon asserted.
He stressed that the neglect of the Itsekiri people’s welfare in the Dibi-Olero-Abiteye area is a longstanding issue.
Edon accused Chevron of failing to honour its commitments to the host communities and instead dealing with a few community leaders who, he claims, are complicit in exploiting the people. He highlighted that basic amenities, such as hospitals and other infrastructure, have not been provided in the communities.
The NDYM chairman called on Chevron and other IOCs in Itsekiri communities to fulfil their promises and engage directly with the community, rather than working through a small group of leaders.
The Niger Delta Liberation Movement recently claimed responsibility for the destruction of Chevron’s pipeline in the Dibi-Olero-Abiteye Fields. However, the Warri monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, through his Sole Representative and Liaison Officer to NNPCL and its JV partners, issued a statement distancing the Itsekiri nation from the action, clarifying that it does not reflect the struggle of the people.
