Agge community in Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, is not happy with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The anger of the community people was on Tuesday demonstrated by the Paramount Ruler of the community, His Royal Highness David Isiayi, who is regarded as the custodian of their conventions. Isiayi abandoned his palace and shook off the orthodoxy of royalty to march the street in protest against NDDC. His participation in the protest is viewed by many people as a serious indictment against NDDC and the contractor which abandoned a N4bn shore protection job in the community. His involvement invoked a lot of sympathy from passers-by who cursed NDDC and the contractor for subjecting a nonagenarian king to such level of frustration. Others marched behind their dogged monarch. Elderly men and women, chiefs, community leaders and youths were not left out in the demonstration. The abandoned project is a shore protection contract. The contractor, Beks Kimse Nigeria Ltd was hired by NDDC to sand-fill and reclaim about 2.9Km of the community's land washed away by an ocean surge. Agge which is at the fringe of the Atlantic Ocean has been under threat by water current. Large chunk of the community's land had been swallowed by the ocean surge. Following series of complaints and mournful incidents, NDDC stepped in to award the controversial shore protection contract to the company. The monarch said: “The situation in Agge is threatening our existence as a people.The ocean has claimed half of our homes and people. “I have ruled the community for over 41 years and the deceit and failure of the company awarded the contract to do the job is a shameful act. We don’t want to die, we only want the contract awarded completed.” The protesters were not happy that instead of demonstrating seriousness to complete the job, the contractor tried to sublet the contract to another firm, Kameala Consult Services Company. After failing to sublet the job, the contractor reportedly tried to move its equipment out of site but was resisted by the community. The protesters lamented their helpless situation. They stated the contractor had refused to execute the job which was designed to save the community from extinction despite their peaceful demeanor. Some of their placards further suggested an attempt by the contractor to intimidate them using the operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield. Some of the placards said, “JTF should not be used to intimidate Agge people”; “NDDC, Beks, come and finish the job you were paid for” and “Agge project money should not be used for politics”. The Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Steven Fiopare, stated the contractor has always complained that NDDC awarded the contract but failed to pay the firm Mobilisation fees. “The community has, over the years, lost people and houses to the ocean surge and the initial dredging work by the company has added to the problem of the community with incessant erosion into homes," Fiopare added. “We are in a big problem. Houses are being washed away daily by erosion. If the hide tide comes, many indigenes will disappear and homes washed away.”
