‎

‎The people of Olugboboro Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have accused Oando Plc of halting their long-awaited reclamation project.

‎The community called for the immediate return of the contractor to the project site.

‎In a petition to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of SILGA 1 Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), the community condemned the suspension.

‎It alleged that Oando officials ordered OGBODAWEI Nigeria Ltd. to stop work, claiming the reclamation project was not viable.

‎The community described the directive as shocking, saying the project had passed all approval stages before the contract was awarded.

‎It said the reclamation project emerged as its highest priority during separate needs assessments conducted under Agip and later the Petroleum Industry Act framework.

‎According to the petition, the contract was awarded in May 2026 after an open bidding process.

‎The contractor reportedly mobilised to the site on June 17 and completed the first phase of excavation before the work was halted.

‎The community said the project would tackle persistent flooding, reclaim lost land and create space for future infrastructure and economic development.

‎It described the reclamation as a strategic environmental restoration initiative rather than an ordinary sand-filling exercise.

‎The petitioners argued that the project aligns with the objectives of the Petroleum Industry Act by promoting sustainable development in host communities.

‎They insisted the suspension had dashed the hopes of residents who viewed the project as a legacy intervention.

‎The community alleged that no contractor handling projects in other SILGA 1 host communities had been directed to stop work.

‎It claimed the decision amounted to unfair treatment and undermined the community’s development aspirations.

‎The petition urged the Board of Trustees to direct Oando Plc to reverse the decision and order the contractor back to site without delay.

‎Copies of the petition were sent to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Oando Plc and other stakeholders.