July 18, 2002
Posted to the web July 18, 2002

Mike Oduniyi
Lagos

Itsekiri women end siege on Escravos tank farm

About 110,000 barrels per day of crude oil production by ChevronTexaco Oil Company have been shut in, following the invasion of four of the company's oil flowstations by rampaging Ijaw women.

The invasion and forceful shut down of the Abiteye, Makaraba, Otunana and Olero Creek flowstations located in the swamp of the Niger Delta, came just as Chevron successfully negotiated the exit of about 200 Itsekiri women from the Escravos Tank Farm after a 10-day siege.

Chevron, operator of the joint venture, said in a press statement yesterday that it had evacuated all its employees from the affected oil wells before the arrival of the women. "Negotiations towards a peaceful resolution of the invasion will begin soon," it said.

In monetary terms, the NNPC/Chevron joint venture may be losing $2.9 million daily since Tuesday when the shut in began.

Chevron officials, however, maintained that there was still enough stock of crude in the Escravos tank to meet all export lifting contracts for this month.

Reports said the women were from the Gbaramatu communities in Warri South local government area of Delta State, and their demand was for the provision of more amenities in the area.

Ijaw communities in Chevron operational areas had last April issued an ultimatum to the American oil company to cease operation in their area, alleging neglect on the part of the company.

The demonstrations have severely disrupted production and seen hundreds of workers trapped for days on end.

The villagers' new tactic of sending unarmed women to take over terminals appears to be about to pay off amid signs that similar protests could spread to other firms and states in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

"I know that a lot of host communities will feel bolder now because of what's happening to Chevron," Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor, Sheddy Ozoene told AFP.

Police Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Haz Iwendi said that between 200 and 300 women from the Gbaramatu community seized four Chevron pumping stations in Delta State late last week.

"Negotiations between local leaders, the police and Chevron are going on. We hope to have ended the problem within two or three days," he said.

A Chevron spokesman had earlier been unable to confirm the latest seizures, which were reported 10 days after hundreds of local women took control of the Escravos terminal.

Iwendi said the pumping stations were "in the same general district" as Escravos, in Delta State.

As news of the women's campaign emerged, Chevron executives and Governor James Ibori were meeting with the Ugborodo community to finalise a deal to end the Escravos siege.

"We are optimistic that there will be a deal before he (the governor) leaves Warri this afternoon," Ozoene said, adding "Chevron is prepared to make a lot of concessions."

Asked what was on the table, Ozoene said: "I would not like to speak for Chevron, but the women have been talking about the firm taking more social and community responsibilities."

Chevron had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Itsekiri women of Ugborodo communities to end almost two weeks of occupation of the strategic Escravos Oil Terminal.

Chevron said in the statement that under the agreed MOU, the NNPC/Chevron would provide regular jobs to the people of the communities, establish income and wealth generating schemes as well as provide vital infrastructure such as school blocks, town halls, electricity and portable water.

The women are also said to have demanded help setting up chicken and fish farms that would enable them to sell food to site workers.

The communities on their part pledged to maintain peace and embrace dialogue.

"We are obliged that this crisis has been resolved peacefully through dialogue, even though the process has been very painstaking," it said.

According to the statement, Ibori and the management of the NNPC also intervened in the crisis, which it added disrupted vital oil and gas operations of the company.

Chevron, Nigeria's third largest oil producer, accounts for about 450,000 barrels per day of oil.

Meanwhile, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Warri Federal Constituency, Hon. Temi Harriman has called on the management of ChevronTexaco and the Ugborodo communities to embrace dialogue and contructive engagement in resolving whatever disputes arising.

Harriman said this was necessary in order to achieve amicable settlement of such disputes.

The lawmaker described the 10-day siege on Chevron Escravos Tank Farm as "an overflow of their bottled-up frustrations, failed promises and suppression of fundamental rights" by the oil company.