MBO – Residents of Unyenge in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest against alleged neglect and marginalisation by oil and gas firms operating in the area.

The placards carrying protesters comprising youths, community leaders and women who gathered at the river bank in the morning demanded the immediate reconstruction of a collapsed bridge and improved socio-economic benefits for the host community.

The protesters vowed to sustain their action until their grievances are addressed noting that, the alleged bridge collapsed since October 15, 2025, after a truck conveying the company’s logistics crossed it.

They maintained that the collapse has disrupted transportation, commerce and lumbering activities, which is the community’s major source of livelihood.

Some of the placards were crested with inscriptions such as “No Bridge, No Work,” “Employment for Our Youths,” and “No Road, No Work,” as the demonstrators called on companies operating in the area such as; Savannah Energy Nigeria Limited,Tulcan Energy Resources Limited, Shimao and Jeosco, to urgently address their concerns.

Speaking on behalf of the Unyenge group of villages, Chief Godwin Matthew accused Savannah Energy of failing to fulfil its promise to reconstruct the collapsed bridge despite repeated engagements with community stakeholders.

According to him, the community has endured years of hardship arising from the absence of basic infrastructure, including access roads, healthcare facilities and potable water.

“For over 17 years since Savannah Energy commenced operations in our community, there has been no access road. We have written several letters and made repeated appeals over the bridge and other pressing needs, but nothing has been done,” he said.

Matthew further alleged that while community youths have worked for the company and its contractors over the years, none had been offered permanent employment.

He lamented that since the bridge collapsed, company vehicles have diverted through Esit Eket and Ibeno routes to access operational sites, while residents continue to bear the burden of the damaged infrastructure.

“The company promised to rebuild the bridge by December last year, but that promise has not been fulfilled.

They now use a ponteen to transport their personnel and equipment, yet community members are not allowed to use it,” he alleged.

The community youth president, Mr. Joseph Timothy, accused the companies of neglecting the area in critical sectors, including road infrastructure, employment opportunities, workers’ welfare and reconstruction of the collapsed bridge.

He insisted that the companies must urgently address the community’s demands to avert further disruptions.

Also speaking, the Women Leader, Mrs. Nkoyo Etim, decried the absence of basic social amenities and accused the firms of excluding women from employment and contract opportunities.

She further alleged that gas flaring and oil pollution had negatively affected residents’ health, water sources and agricultural productivity.

“We have no hospital, no potable water, no good roads and no functional market. Residents are increasingly worried about respiratory illnesses, while oil pollution has contaminated water sources and reduced crop yields,” she said.

Etim added that the collapse of the bridge has worsened transportation challenges, forcing residents to pay about ₦1,500 for boat crossings to access other parts of the community.

She also claimed that women who were previously engaged in vegetation-clearing jobs around the companies’ operational camps had been disengaged without replacement opportunities.

As of the time of filing this report, efforts to speak with the Savannah Energy’s Community Manager, Mrs. Arit Bassey, were unsuccessful as calls and text messages to her phone were not answered.