The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Host communities

  • OML 25: Shell and host communities sign MoU to reopen flow station

    Stakeholder Communities of Oil Mining License (OML) 25 and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the ropening of the flow station and payment of outstanding funds owed host communities under the extant Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU).

    The MoU also mandated Shell to pay N1.36 billion into a dedicated account, within two weeks, for the development of the communities.

    Representative of the Rivers State Governor and Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Solicitor-General Mrs. Florence Fiberesima and Permanent Secretary, Chieftaincy Affairs Felix Odungweru superintended over the signing yesterday at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

    The settlement agreement was signed on behalf of the communities by Traditional Rulers, Youth Presidents, Chairmen of Community Development Committees and Community Leaders. Those who signed the agreement were stakeholder communities of Kula, Belema, Offoin-Ama, Ibie-Ama, Boro and Opu-Kula.

    Danagogo said the fundamental reason for yesterday’s meeting was to sign the agreement without prejudice to who holds different positions in the communities.

    He said: “We are here to sign the settlement agreement between Shell and the Kula communities. We are here to resolve the issues between Shell and our people. After this agreement, other meetings would be convened to determine the issues of employment, community development and community contracts. For now, the aim is for Shell to pay the funds that have accrued, and for the flow station to be opened for further development.”

    According to him, the government is aware of those being sponsored to stop the process of settlement, peace and progress, but the government is determined to conclude the reopening process.

    Read Also: OML 25 protest: Shell seeks peace with host communities

    Danagogo, who said the government’s actions were based on the renewal of SPDC Operating License, added that should the license be transferred to Belema Oil by NNPC, the government will ensure implementation.

    “We want our people to own oil blocks, but we don’t want a situation where the operating license of others are illegally taken away because other Rivers people are operating in other states. Let us approach these issues in peace to achieve progress,” he added.

    He reiterated that the government will not succumb to plots to derail the progress made at settling the dispute.

    General Manager, External Relations of SPDC Igo Weli said the settlement agreement is a welcome development which will improve the reputation of Rivers State as a centre for investments.

    According to him, peace and harmony between corporate entities and host communities is the way to go.

    He said: “This is a good model and template.  We came here to find solutions because we want the best for our communities. There are always constructive and peaceful ways of resolving conflicts.”

    The Amanyanabo of Kula, Kroma Eleki called for peace across Kula communities to pave way for the peaceful operation of OML 25. He praised the government for ensuring the peaceful resolution of issues in the area.

    The Amanyanabo of Belema, King Ibinabo Kalaoriye, who also signed the settlement agreement, thanked the government for the peaceful process that led to the agreement. He was happy with the terms of agreement, saying those who have occupied the flow station would leave.

    According to him, since Shell’s license had been renewed, there was no need for any individual to shutdown the flow station.

    Chairman of Akuku-Toru council Rowland Sekibo said the agreement was a genuine progress that will help the area’s development.

  • OML-25 crisis: no agreement to reopen flow station, says host communities

    Host communities of Oil Mining lease (OML)-25 in Kula Kingdom, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State have denied agreeing to the re-opening of the oil facility which was shut over two years ago.

    Stakeholders from the three host communities of Belema, Ofoin-Ama and Ngeje, in a statement at the weekend in Port Harcourt, denied signing any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to end the continued occupation of the facility.

    The statement was signed by representatives of the three communities – King Bourdillon Allen Ekine, Amanyanabo of Opukula (Old Shipping); Chief-elect Mpakaboari Welsch, Chief-elect Oputuboye Walter and Prince Opunabo Ekine.

    Others are Alabo Fiala Okoye-Davies, Sibia Aaron Sukubo (Offo XIII), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, Spokesman PANDEF, Chief Ibiosia Nath-Sukubo, Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, Chief Ibinabo Daniel Kiliya and Chief Wapakaboari A. Gaga.

    The reaction followed a statement by Governor Nyesom Wike’s media aide, simoen Nwakudu, suggesting that the OML-25 dispute had been addressed and the host communities agreed to sign a MoU with SPDC to end the crisis, and for protesting women to vacate the facility for a resumed operation.

    But the people dissociated themselves from the agreement, saying they were not invited to the meeting where the purported agreement was reached.

    They reiterated their previous statement that SPDC will never return to their domain again, saying they would rather divest the facility to their preferred investor.

    Read Also: OML 25 protest: Shell seeks peace with host communities

    The statement reads: “We insist that we do not want SPDC any more in our land. We will continue to occupy the oil facility peacefully until our demands are met. Let the Rivers State government and Shell come with their brute force, we are ready to die for this cause.

    “We remain resolute in our demands for the divestment of OML25 by SPDC, taking into cognisance the right-of-first-refusal of the host communities.”

    They also accused government officials who convened the meeting of colluding with SPDC, by taking a $5 million bribe to give the facility to Shell, against their wishes.

    “We are constrained to notify the public of the dangerous steps taken by officials of the Rivers State government in resolving the impasse surrounding the shutdown of OML25.

    “We have it on good authority that SPDC is engaging in unwholesome and fraudulent practices with government officials to do its bidding on the matter in flagrant disregard to due process, probity, fairness and equity.

    “We have been inundated with credible information that a top government official has received $5 million bribe from Shell, on behalf of the government, to undermine due process on this matter, all in a bid to forcefully re-open the facility.”

    But Nwakudu denied any sinister motive in the government’s intervention moves, saying the state and federal government have lost huge economic resources in the last two years and it was high time all disputes were resolved and the facility reopened for operation.

  • Jobs: Host communities caution against conmen

    The Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) yesterday warned its members against dupes who take advantage of their vulnerability to exploit them with the promise of offering them juicy jobs.

    HOSTCOM’s National Chairman Benjamin Style Tamaraebi spoke at Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area during a familiarisation visit to the state chapter.

    He said the conmen had been parading themselves and duping innocent members on the pretext that they would be made directors of a non-existent modular refinery in the state.

    Tamaraebi said: “These conmen have collected lots of money from many people for employment in modular refinery, cooperatives and pipeline surveillance squad.

    “Yet, they know that all these programmes are in the pipeline but are yet to materialise to warrant employing anyone, not to talk of paying money for such vacancies.”

    Regretting the number of victims the conmen had duped before they were discovered, Tamaraebi assured that the offenders would not go unpunished.

     

     

  • Wike: give key jobs to host communities

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the refusal of multi-nationals to employ people from host communities has also created crisis in Niger Delta.

    Speaking when the leadership of Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) visited him, Wike said local content participation was key to harmony and sustained development.

    He said: “I urge the multi-nationals and the NBC to encourage Rivers people through local content participation .

    “Part of the crisis in the Niger Delta is that some companies relegate the people of the area in the allocation of management positions “.

    He said the ugly situation should be checked  to stop avoidable conflicts as noticed in the relationship between Shell and some host communities.

    The governor, however, hailed NBC for expanding its operations in Rivers State.

    “This expansion will create more employment and internally generated revenue.  This state is peaceful for investments”,  he said.

    The governor said the documents for the land acquired by NBC would be granted by his administration.

    NBC’s Chairman Segun Apata said the company was working towards building a mega plant in Port Harcourt.

    He said the new plant would be a hub for the zone with new jobs added across the board..

    The NBC chairman  appealed to Wike to approve a governor’s consent for the acquired land when the company makes its application.

    “We want to double our production to 75 million unit cases”, he said.

  • Why host communities’, operators’ problems persist

    Failure of oil and gas indus-try operators to identify the mmediate needs of the host communities, leverage on the needs to initiate and implement a Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) is the major cause of problems between the host communities and companies operating there, the Country Manager, Entrepreneurial Development, General Electric, Sunny Ojei has said.

    He said the need to ensure a peaceful coexistence between General Electric and its host communities,  informed the decision of the firm to sign memorandum of understanding with the communities where it operates.

    He said GE is working with the communities on how to develop the entrepreneurial skills of the residents of the communities, make them have their own jobs and earn a living.

    He said computer training, among others, have been provided to the residents of its host communities in order to ensure that they are self- employed.

    He said GE has encouraged its suppliers to provide vocational training to the people, adding that their efforts are yielding fruits as the people are now engaged.

    Ojeh said: “People need some measures or levels of assurance that their future is safe. The assurance comes through the employment opportunities, which GE has provided for them and which they are tapping. As many residents, we (GE) can cascade and influence to buy into the jobs’ opportunities around, the better for the communities concerned, the industry and the economy.”

    He urged operators in the industry to firm up relationship with their host communities, by creating opportunities for them to secure employment and live better life.

    He said once this is done, problems such as low production, destruction of facilities owned by oil and gas companies by vandals, which were mostly aggrieved members of the host communities, would be reduced.

  • ‘PIB will engage host communities in oil, gas security’

    ‘PIB will engage host communities in oil, gas security’

    The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezeani Allison-Madueke, said in Abuja on Tuesday that the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will encourage host communities to protect oil and gas infrastructure in their area.

    Speaking at the 18th Nigeria Economic Summit during a panel discussion on the “PIB and the Future of Nigeria’s Oil Industry, the minister said, “We have created a mechanism to formally recognise host communities as important stakeholders by assigning oil and gas infrastructure security to the communities.’’

    This, she said, would minimise environmental degradation due to vandalism and crude oil theft

    “As a Freedom to operate tool, it incorporates penalties to host communities in the event of vandalism in their localities.

    “The legislation also includes modalities for using regulation to increase the flexibility in the management of host communities’ issues,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Alison-Madueke as saying at the summit.

    The minister also said the PIB when passed into law would increase participation of new players in oil and gas industry through the proposed new acreage management system.