The proposed plan by the Federal Government to relocate the Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Company Limited (BFPCL) has unsettled the Odioma community in Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
The locals are angry that they are about to lose a mega federal presence initially designed to lift them out of poverty. They are rueing missed job opportunities and other economic benefits attached to playing host to a multi-billion dollar project should the company be relocated.
In fact, the thought of losing the project has forced them to murder sleep. So, they have resorted to street protests to appeal to the Federal Government to reconsider its proposal. The Odioma community trooped out with their placards to register their grievances. Men, women and youths temporarily abandoned their daily occupation of fishing and farming to march the streets in anger.
Indeed, before the Odioma demonstration, which took place during the week, the Brass communities, at the twilight of 2016, protested the relocation of Brass Liquified Natural Gas (BLNG). The entire communities in Brass including Odioma frowned on the development, abandoned their farms and fishing camps to vent their anger peacefully.
But the Odioma people, this time, were on their own. It was gathered that the petrochemical project, sited in their community was about to be relocated to another community within the council. It was not cherry news following indications that some influential people within the corridors of power were pulling the strings.
Therefore, the Odioma youths and women stormed the streets of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. They marched the major roads in the state capital. The protesters caused a stir as they created gridlocks.
Motorists and shop owners watched the scene in awe. The protesters warned the Federal Government against succumbing to the whims and caprices of some powerful politicians pushing for the relocation of the project.
They carried placards with inscriptions such as, “save our soul, Bayelsa Government”, “Odioma people are peace-loving, let fertiliser plant stay”, “leave fertiliser plant in Odioma” and “there is peace in our land for fertiliser plant”.
The aggrieved indigenes of Odioma moved to the Yenagoa Liaison Office of the Brass Local Government Council and tabled their protest letter to the council’s Chairman, Mr. Bello Bina.
Speaking, the Chairman of Odioma Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr. Philemon Dickson alleged that the planned relocation of the fertilizer company from Odioma was instigated by some leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.
Dickson said: “Our people are angry and we have come to our council chairman with a Save our Soul (SoS) message that some persons are pushing the Federal Government to relocate the Fertiliser plant from Odioma.
“When they pushed for the relocation of the Brass LNG, we thought it was joke, but we have seen the dangerous manner these persons are pushing for violent reaction.
“We thought that the existence of the Brass LNG and the Fertiliser plant will boost development, employment and peace in the area, but the planned relocation will only instigate crisis.
“Our oppressors have started and want to throw Brass into turmoil. When the fertiliser people came and requested to buy land to locate the company, we sat and decided as a people to give them over 595 hectres of land.
“With documentation done and the Certificate of Occupancy (CoO) being planned for presentation, they want to relocate. This is an attempt to push the people of Odioma to violence.”
Also speaking, the President of the Odioma Youth Association (OYA), Mr. Forcebray Aketekpe, said that the threat to relocate the project was aimed at denying the community from being part of of the over 15,000 jobs expected from the company.
He insisted that there was no reason for the relocation since the land allowed to the company was not in dispute. “They want our community to miss out on the employment to be generated from the company’s operations. The land we allocated to them is not in dispute and there is no reason for the relocation”, he said.
Also, the Woman Leader of the community, Bokuoma Sampou, warned the Federal Government against fanning embers of violence with the planned move. “The women of Odioma have suffered in the past and we hope we will not be made to suffer again”, she said.
Addressing the protesters, Bina expressed concern over the development and warned the fertiliser company against succumbing to the intimidation.
He said: “If the fertiliser company wants to operate in peace, they should stop the planned relocation. The Bayelsa Government and the Brass Council will not abadon Odioma people at this time.
“If those involved in the attempts to push for the relocation of the company wants to flex muscle, why didn’t they manipulate Bayelsa governorship poll. They must know that they can not fight God.
“Without the Niger Delta, there cannot be Nigeria. If the Federal Government and the company want peace, they should stop the planned relocation. They cannot manipulate the people of Bayelsa. That era is over.”
In 2014, Brass Fertilizer Company Limited and a Danish Consortium led by Haldor Topsøe A/S signed an agreement to participate in the design and construction of a $3.5 billion urea, methanol and gas processing plant on Brass Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Taylor-DeJongh was engaged as financial advisor for the project. The project will be the single largest private sector investment in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, creating 15,000 jobs during the construction phase, with the potential to create over 5,000 permanent jobs upon completion.
A statement by the company reads: “The plant is expected to be operational in 2018. The proposed plant will utilise natural gas via a dedicated pipeline that will produce 3,850 MT/day of urea, 5,000 MT/day of methanol. Gas feedstock is to be provided through a direct supply from Shell’s OML 33 field and will be treated and processed by Brass Gas Limited. Project management consulting for the urea/methanol plant will be performed by Engineers India Limited (EIL), with the shortlisted EPC and O&M contractor to be selected in early June.
“Brass Fertilizer Company Limited is leading the development of the urea, methanol and gas processing plant. Investors in the company include a subsidiary of DSV Group, a leading Nigerian provider of innovative solutions to the local pipeline industry, Haldor Topsøe, Maj Invest, Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU), Swedfund and the Bayelsa State Government. The development will support Nigeria through the monetization of gas, provision of fertilizer to the local market, and generate significant employment in the Niger Delta region.
“Haldor Topsøe is a Danish company founded in 1940 by Dr. Haldor Topsøe. The company specialises in the production of heterogeneous catalysts and the design of process plants based on catalytic processes. Focus areas include the fertilizer industry, chemical and petrochemical industries, and the energy sector (refineries and power plants). Haldor Topsøe has over 2,700 employees worldwide.
“Taylor-DeJongh is an energy and infrastructure investment banking firm that has ranked as a Top 10 Financial Advisor every year since 1996. The firm provides independent strategic and financial advisory services to a global clientele in the development, structuring, negotiating and financing of major capital investments in energy and infrastructure.”