Ikpide-Irri Youths Stage Peaceful Protest Against Lawmaker, Portplus Company

The lingering protest against the Ikpide-Irri ongoing substandard internal road project by Portplus limited, in Isoko South local government area of Delta state on Monday took another twist with the community youths embarking a peaceful protest against the company and its chairman, Mr. Immanuel Emoefe and the member representing Isoko South constituency 1 in the state house of Assembly, Mrs. Orezi Esievo.

The angry youths stated that their protest is not unconnected to the continued use of non-indigenes as labourers by Portplus limited and refusal of the company’s chairman, Mr. Emoefe to engage them as labourers in the site as well as the alleged connivance of the lawmaker, Mrs. Esievo with Mr. Emoefe to refuse them a place to work as labourers in the site.

The placards carrying protesting youths have different inscriptions like “We Pass A Vote Of No Confidence On Hon. Orezi Esievo, “Hon. Esievo Has Failed And We Say No To Second Tenure For Esievo, No Vote For Esievo In Ikpide. “Hon. Esievo Is A Monumental Failure, “Stop Causing Problems For Us In Ikpide.

“Portplus Give Us Standard Road, We Say No To Substandard Work, “Portplus We Say No To Use Of Non-Indigenes As Labourers In Our Town, “Ikpide Youths Are Not Lazy, Portplus Allow Us To Work, “Gov. Okowa Call Portplus To Order Now.” and so many others.

While pronouncing a vote of no confidence on Mrs. Esievo for not being able to deliver dividends of democracy to the community which she was voted for by the community, the youths vowed to sack her with their Permanent Voters Cards, (PVCs), come 2019, adding that apart from hiding under NGOs the lawmaker has nothing to offer to the people.

“We the community youths are now wiser, no one can use us any longer. Chief Okpugo and Esievo, overflow can not use us this time around. What have we benefited from Hon. Esievo since we voted for her in Ikpide in 2015. She is always taking credit for the hospital equipment brought to Ikpide by an NGO.

“We are asking Esievo, where are our constituency projects for the three years of your stay in the house of Assembly.? What has the youths and the community benefited from you.? Can you show one single individual you have empowered in Ikpide, madam over flow.? You have failed completely and don’t come to campaign in Ikpide in 2019.” aggrieved youth vowed.

The youths however gave the company seven days to come up with a frame work that will accommodate them to work as labourers in the site and at the expiration of the one week, no member of the company would be allowed to work on site.

Addressing the protesting youths, the community vice president, Mr. John Esieba, accompanied by other members of the national executive of the community union, appealed to the youths to embrace peace adding that no meaningful development can take place in an environment devoid of peace.

Mr. Esieba, therefore promised to liaise with the company within the next one month to reach a truce but this did not go down well with the angry youths who said anything beyond one week will not be acceptable to them.