Bayelsa State government has admonished Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCON) to complement government efforts in sensitising the people on the dangers of illegal oil refining.
It urged the host communities to particularly warn the youths on the environmental and health hazards associated with illegal bunkering and refining of crude oil.
Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo spoke when members of the Bayelsa State Executive and Elders Council of HOSCON visited his office in the Government House, Yenagoa.
Ewhrudjakpo, who condemned the call for legalisation of illegal refining, said HOSCON has a strategic role to play in the ongoing sensitisation efforts of government to discourage youths involved in the act.
He advised the group to educate the communities on how best to demand their rights from oil companies operating.
Responding to the group’s requests, especially on the passage of the BYSOPADEC Bill pending before the House of Assembly, Ewhrudjakpo urged HOSCON to leverage on its over 1,200-community membership capacity to prevail on the Assembly to pass the bill into law.
He also promised to convey their demands for a bus and the award of contract jobs to HOSCON, to Governor Douye Diri.
State Chairman of HOSCON Pastor Samson Dabbey-Graham said the visit was to formally introduce the new executive members to the deputy governor and explore areas of collaboration with government.
Dabbey-Graham pleaded with the Diri administration to empower the association with contract jobs to enable it raise funds to start a palm oil mining factory in the state.