17/01/2012 (Nigerian Tribune) - ShareYouths from Nsukwa community, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, have called on the state government to take over the management of Nsukwa Oil Palm Company (OPC).

The youths, in a letter addressed to the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and signed by the youth president, Comrade Jude Igwebueze, hinted that the current management of the palm oil company had refused to keep faith a momorandum of understanding signed at Ogwashi-uku high court before Justice Anthony Akpovi, on 10th January, 2008.

The statement added that of the 10-point agreement reached and signed between Nsukwa community and the current managers, not even one of them was implemented.

According to the statement, a facility tour of the over 75 per cent of the land currently occupied by the oil palm company, reveals that less than 50 per cent of the vast land is under utilised, while less than 50 per cent of the cropped land is under productive due to poor management.

The youth revealed that the oil company, if operating optimally, can afford to employ over 2,000 workers of varying skills and unskill but regretted that today it was not even able to employ up to 100 workers, while the gigantic oil mill was hardly put to use as there were no palm fruits to feed the mill with.

“We are, therefore, calling on the Delta State government to, as a matter of urgency, take over the company and appoint new capable and experienced firm to take over the management of the oil palm company.

Effort to get the management of the oil palm company to comment on the issue was not fruitful as they were said to have closed down for the season holiday.