– Seeks Formal Demand For Equity And Justice

The Umu Aye family ( AYE COMMUNITY), the recognised Landlords and principal Land donors of Ogbogu Flow station and associated facilities in OML 58 have expressed with dismay the continued marginalization, disregarding and total side-lining of their community in matters relating to employment, contracts, and stakeholders’ engagement by TotalEnergies E & P Nigeria Ltd, the operator of OML 58 and associated facilities righty situated in Aye community.

In the Letter addressed to the Managing Director of TotalEnergies E & P Nigeria Ltd, dated August 5, 2025 and signed by stakeholders of Umu Aye Family and sighted by Oilfield Africa Review, the family disclosed with utter displeasure the TotalEnergies’ wanton display of nonchalance in attending to the complaints and plights despite numerous appeals through constructive approach and engagements made by the family to resolve these underlined issues.

Speaking to media correspondents in Port Harcourt, the stakeholders of Umu Aye Family through their spokespersons Mr. Albert Chukwuma , Pastor Nwakanma I. Agi and Prince Melvin Nwaerema in a joint press statement, stated that the community has experienced serious infrastructural and human capital development neglects in the hands of the operator of which has onetime resulted in a prolonged blockade, and interruption of their operations for a couple of days by the community.

“Due to  bottled–up anger arising from over three decades of deliberate and persistent neglect, the family came together to confront TotalEnergies (then ELF Petroleum Nigeria Ltd.) in 1999. This resulted in a prolonged blockade and interruption of operations for a couple of days. This led to the resolution of October 12, 1999, between Elf and the Umu Aye family. The 1999 resolution was signed by Mr. Emmanuel Chiejina and Mr. Brunnel on behalf of TotalEnergies (Formerly Elf Petroleum Limited).

“It is on record that from 1964 to 1999, no indigene of Umu aye worked in Total Energies (formerly Elf) as a staff. That was thirty-five years (35 years). In 1999, when a resolution was hurriedly put together between the parties to enable the company have access to its facilities and commence operations, we saw it as a temporary relief. As part of the resolution, three staff were to be employed from the Aye community between 1999 and 2001,” Mr. Albert Chukwuma stated.

On sudden collapse of the reached resolution which resulted to its non-implementation and abandonment, the Umu Aye Family is accusing the management of TotalEnergies of double standing and fanning an amber of discords by recognition of other pseudo –community group whom they described  Landlords destabilize the serene and peaceful atmosphere ushered in by the temporary resolution reached in 1999 which before now was followed by both parties

“The three staff were employed as agreed but no other formal meeting held between Totalenergies and Umu Aye family which contradicted the resolution especially the provision on no.8 of the resolution that stated that there will be subsequent meetings; but rather, the company colluded with non-landowners in Egi land, empowering them financially with the sole purpose of intimidating Umu Aye family to deny us our rights.

“These they did successfully for several years using EYF, EPA, OIL AND GAS, EWWA, etc.  Whenever attempts were made to demand further discussions as provided for in the resolution, TotalEnergies will deploy the associations mentioned above to suppress the family.  Our recall goes back to 1999, when the community seized their property and every other person in Egi land went into hiding,” Pastor Nwakanma I. Agi, added.

According to Umu Aye Community spokespersons, the family will continue to pursue peaceful means in resolving all underlying issues with TotalEnergies as its host community. However, they warned that this kind gesture should not be taken as a sign of weakness, noting that if pushed beyond their peaceful threshold, the repetition of an ugly incident that happened in 1999 might recur. They took note of the stance of other host communities, where contractors must work through the actual landlords, and wondered why the case of the Umu Aye community should be different.

“As a peaceful community, we have tried not to have a repeat of what happened in 1999, but the company has always counted our peaceful disposition for weakness. So, they continue their acts of neglect. Specifically, they excluded Umu Aye from recent graduate and production operators’ employment. Filled contract staff vacancies with non–indigenes, while our sons and daughters roam the streets unemployed, bypassed landlords in contract negotiations, and falsely elevated non-land owning associations (E.P.A., EYE, E.O.G, EWWA ) as stakeholders.

“Denied Umu Aye contractors access to meaningful contracts while awarding large volumes of work to outsiders and stopped us from decision–making in employment and homage negotiations, which now occur solely through biased company field agents. In your other host communities, contractors must work through the actual landlords. Why is the case of Umu Aye different?,” Prince Melvin Nwaerema, said.

In pursuit for a permanent solution to the lingering quagmire between the community and TotalEnergies, the Umuaye has highlighted achievable demands they stated are in line with past agreements, present realities and relevant statutory provisions obtainable in other areas and locations of TotalEnergies Operations, especially as concern the areas of employment and contract.

“Employment due  Umu Aye since 2001 should be released and exclusively reserved for Umu Aye, as it was done in 1999. For every year from 2001, we demand two staff employees, which bring the total to fifty (50) exclusive employment opportunities. We are demanding sixty percent (60%) of contract staff working in the flow station. In other climes hundred percent (100 %) of contract staff are employed through the host communities. However, we are asking for a fair share of sixty percent (60%).

“Two slots should be permanently reserved for the Aye community in the community relations department, and immediate recognition of at least fifty (50) contractors from Umu Aye to be nominated by the contact men. Every contract ranging from ten million naira and below (N10,000,000.00) should be the exclusive preserve of Umu Aye Contact men. Contracts of ten million naira and above should be done by contractors nominated by Umu Aye contact men.

“The contact men of Umu Aye should be given free access to the Flow station, with a guarantee that such access should not be abused and an immediate statistic of all the contracts in the Flow Station, and every other one of our facilities to determine the extent of compliance with local content.,” Prince Melvin Nwaerema, continued.

According to Umu Aye Community, the facilities description, location and size of land occupied by TotalEnergies in its hosting community, are approximately 84 hectares of land. And these include: The entire Ogbogu Flow station, Tank farm and Gas production centre and Flare site and pit opposite Ogbogu Flow station (part), occupying 36 hectares and 4.7 hectares respectively.

Other TotalEnergies’ facilities located in the community producing oil and gas wells: OB 3, 12, 29, 40, 68, 69, 70, 90, 108, 128, 79, 105 / Cluster 15 occupying 6.4 hectares. Gas pipelines right of way for the Obite Gas Project and Borrow pits (scattered on the lands), which constitute death traps to us, have taken 3.5 hectares and 6.1 hectares, respectively.

While access roads to oil and gas well locations occupy 6.4 hectares, Crude oil pipelines across our lands take 4.2 hectares. The areas marked A, B, and C (acquired but undeveloped yet ) take up 2.3 hectares, the Thunder Arrester zone (yet to be measured), and O.U.R / Upgrade acquisitions occupy 17.6 hectares.

The spokespersons of Umuaye family concluded that they are notably known for their peaceful disposition and have been at the forefront in sustaining the prevailing harmonious existence between the host community and TotalEnergies.

“Umuaye family is ready to resolve amicably the underlying issues that TotalEnergies’ social responsibility neglect has brought to the people of Umuaye community, through all possible peaceful means.

“Our penchant for peace should not be taken as weakness. We believe that peace is the only way to sustainable development.,” They cautioned.