By Igoniko Oduma, Yenagoa
The aggrieved people of coastal Agge in the Ekeremor Local Government area of Bayelsa State on Tuesday embarked on a peaceful protest in the community against abandonment of a N4 billion shore protection project awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The peaceful protest was led by the 90-year-old paramount ruler of the community, David Gian Isiayi, and the Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Steven Fiopare.
It was gathered that the contract was awarded to Beks Kimse Nigeria Ltd, an indigenous contractor, to sand-fill and reclaim over 2.9km of land previously washed away by the surging ocean.
The people accused the contractor of engaging in illegal sub-letting of the job to Kameala Consult Service Company and abandoning site over alleged non-mobilisation by the NDDC.
The placard-carrying protesters said they had ensured a peaceful environment to enable the contractor execute the job without problems and wondered why the job would be abandoned.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, “JTF should not be used to intimidate Agge people”, “NDDC ,Beks, Kamaela come and finish the job you were paid for”, and “Agge project money should not be used for politics”.
Isiayi vowed that the community would not release the seized heavy-duty equipment belonging to the contractor unless he assures them of completion of the job.
“The situation in Agge is threatening our existence as a people. The ocean has claimed half of our homes and people.
“I have ruled the community for over 41 years and the deceit and failure of the company awarded the contract to do the job is a shameful act.
“We don’t want to die,we only want the contract awarded to be completed”, he said.
Also speaking, the CDC chairman, Steven Fiopare, complained that the community had over the years lost people and houses to the ocean surge.
He said the initial dredging work by the company had increased environmental problems in the community with erosion threatening many homes.
“We are in a big problem. Houses are being washed away daily by erosion. If the hide tide comes, many indigenes will disappear and homes washed away,” Fiopare said.
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