Youths of Alesa, Eleme, host community to Port Harcourt Refining Company, early on Tuesday barricaded the Main gate of the refinery complex to demand their due in the ongoing employment of workers at the rehabilitated refinery.
The youths who braved the early morning rains to take position at the main gate of the refinery complex however conducted themselves peacefully singing and dancing to tunes of a performing band.
They demanded to speak with the management of the company but were only attended to by the head of the security personnel at the gate, who promised to contact the chief executive of the company.
Leader of the protesters, Hon. Johnson Nwogu, said the community was scandalized that an employment of 165 people was carried out by the management of the refinery but only 13 chances were given to the whole of Eleme people and less than five to Alesa, the host community.
Chief Brain Gokpa (in blue) and Leader of Alesa Youths,
Hon. J.O. Nwogu at the gate of the refinery
The youths said they would remain at the gate until they received reasonable response from the management of the refinery.
However, security operatives secured the refinery premises after two days of protest by the youths after the management of the company held discussions with representatives of the youths.
The old refinery otherwise called Area Five had just undergone a turnaround maintenance to prepare it for resumption of production. The rehabilitation of the new refinery is underway. Nigerians have been waiting for the refineries to return to production to ease the supply of petrol in Nigeria and reduce the price.
Nigeria currently imports all the refined petrol it consumes despite being a major producer of crude oil.
