Yenagoa — CHIEFS and people of Otuasega community in Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA), Bayelsa State have raised alarm over the continued use of soldiers by three multinational companies in the area to intimidate the people in the course of of carrying out mining and exploration activities there.

They specifically flayed the continued flaring of gas by Shell, since 1972, when oil was discovered in the area, saying it has caused serious environmental hazards to the natural environment and human lives, including the destruction of farmlands, aquatic life, pollution of the only source of drinking water, premature aging as well as preventable illnesses.

Also, the community stated that the wanton excavation of virgin lands by Daewoo and Saipem without the knowledge of the people would no longer be tolerated, more so, when the firms concerned have refused to pay compensation, nor engage the people in any meaningful dialogue, but prefers to use soldiers to threaten community leaders who demanded to know what was going on in their land.

Chairman, Community Development Community (CDC) and Deputy Paramount Ruler 1 of Otuasega, Okpukpu Erukpe Telu and Chief Renami Joseph respectively who disclosed this during a field trip to the community by the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), a Non Governmental Organisation lamented that the activities of the company has continued to reduce the people's life expectancy.

According to the CDC chairman, no indigene of the community has been employed by Shell in its over 30 years of operation in the area, adding that the firm has very strict rules on employment, saying, "the keep telling us we are not qualified even when we have many graduates from this community."

Telu continued: "Since 1972, Shell has been flaring gas, but has not done anything to improve the life of the people in the course of oil production here. No employment. The scorecard is zero, when you compare what the company is taking from our land and what is coming to us in return."

He cited the effects of the flare to include a shortfall in Agricultural production, like the near extinction of specie of cocoa yam the people produce, pollution of the rivers, say, "we that use to produce fish and sell to other people now buying from outside. Our people die young; buildings suffer severe rust and leakages.

"We can no longer drink rain water, because of some dark particles found in it. Our environment can no longer yield. There is rising cases of stroke in this community. We are all pregnant with dieses because of this problem of gas flaring by Shell," he declared.

In his remarks, Chairman, Legal Services of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), Barrister Chima Williams said the trip was essentially to bridge the gap between government and the people on the one hand and the communities and journalists on the other hand, noting that a major problem in the country was that policy makers detached from the people, hence they don't feel their plight.

Williams who led a delegation from other parts of the Niger Delta said the body usually arrange field trips for policy makers and journalists to see things for themselves and to encourage companies to engage their host communities in dialogue and enlighten communities on how best to present demands so as to avert possible crisis situations.