The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oil Mining Lease

  • Over 500 youths protest plot to make them jobless

    Over 500 youths of communities under Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30 on Friday stormed the secretariat of the Ughelli North Council and the palace of the Ovie of Ughelli, HRM Wilson Ojakovo, to protest purported plot to rid them of their jobs.

    The youths who are under the employ of the OML 30 surveillance contractor, Mr. Morris Idiovwa, warned that any move to clamp down their means of livelihood will be strongly resisted.

    It will be noted that a group, led by Richard Irorobedje, had in a protest, reportedly, accused the contractor of siphoning money and having nobody in his employ.

    Explaining the issues at stake, the spokesperson of the protest, Chief Samuel Oghotomo said that since June last year, there has been relative peace in communities host to the oil block due to the engagement of youths in the surveillance of oil facilities in the area.

    While noting that the surveillance job is not an “entire Isoko or Urhobo business” and that it is different from the Cluster Development Board (CDB), which Idiovwa heads, he said it is an affair of only communities under the OML 30 and advised the “dissident group” to go negotiate with companies operating in their domain.

    Calling on the federal and state governments, the managing director of Heritage Limited, security agencies and other relevant authorities to intervene, Oghotomo emphasized that that more than 500 jobs have been created for youths, who otherwise may have taken to other unlawful sources of income, including pipeline vandalism.

    “As at the time we took over the surveillance job, the oil production was at zero level. But when we took over and ensured the equipments are protected, production increased.

    Read Also: APC disowns protesting youths

    “We are calling on the federal government, state government and every authority to call those dissident groups to order and to stop sponsoring violence in our OML block.

    “Any attempt to take the Jo that belong to us, where we are benefitting from, will cause crisis in the land. We will vent our anger on the pipelines. What nobody could do, Morris Idiovwa has done it by taking over 500 youths of the street,” Oghotomo stated.

    In their numbers, the youths who defied rain torrents, trooped to the council secretariat, the palace of the Ovie of Ughelli and the Army 222 Battalion base in Agbarha-Otor bearing placards which spelt the reasons for their protest.

    Chairman of the council, Hon. Godwin Adode, in response to the protesters said he will relay their complaints to higher authorities, enjoining them to remain peaceful.

    He however stressed the need for honesty, stating that some persons who claim not to be beneficiaries of the surveillance contract were among them.

    The Ovie of Ughelli, His Royal Majesty, Wilson Ojakovo, Oharisi III, in similar response confirmed that a group led by Osegu was at the palace recently.

    Nevertheless, he gave the assurance that their agitations  would be relayed to his colleagues and other relevant  personnel.

  • NOSDRA to SNEPCo: obey court order on Bonga oil spill

    The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has urged Shell Nigeria Exploration and Petroleum Company Limited (SNEPCo) to pay the $3.6 billion fine slammed on it by Lagos Federal High Court.

    The compensation is for the settlement of 350 communities in the Niger Delta region who were affected by the spill.

    NOSDRA Chairman, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, who spoke in Abuja, said the oil spillage which occurred December 20, 2011 due to exploration within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 118 severely desecrated the oil rich communities, thereby affecting the rural dwellers.

    The incident caused about 40, 000 barrels of crude oil which equals to 6,400,000 litres of crude oil discharged into the seas.

    According to Akinyelure, the  incident led NOSDRA to levy  SNEPCo $1.8 billion as compensation for damaging the environment, the affected communities with another $1.8 billion as ‘punitive damages’.

    According to the chairman, “SNEPCo in the process instituted a suit against the agency, challenging NOSDRA’s Act and its enforcement functions as contravening the constitution of Nigeria (as amended).”

    However, the court, he stated, dismissed the suit and that issues raised by the plaintiff (SNEPCo) were  resolved in favour of the defendant (NOSDRA) and an order dismissing the suit was clearly made by the presiding judge.

    “We cannot remain in court in perpetuity, when our people in the Niger Delta region are dying of hunger on daily basis over the years since the occurrence of Bonga oil spillage.

  • Wanted! Safer Niger Delta waterways 

    Boat drivers and allied professionals in the Niger Delta are keen on safer waterways. A major awareness campaign is on to achieve that, writes BISI OLANIYI

    Thousands of boat drivers and allied professionals benefited from the marine safety awareness campaign to reduce boat accidents on Niger Delta’s waterways, which was sponsored by Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria at the multipurpose hall of the secretariat of Port Harcourt City Local Government Council on Moscow Road, with the theme: “Reducing Boat Accidents.”

    Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria is the operator of the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 130 concession, with partners consisting of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC); the South Atlantic Petroleum Company (SAPETRO), a Nigerian oil and gas exploration and production company; PETROBRAS company and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    The awareness campaign was aimed at inculcating in boat operators based in Port Harcourt jetties: Okrika, Bille, Nembe, Bonny, Abonnema Wharf, Rumuorlumeni (Iwofe) and oceanic, safety habits and tools that would assist them in navigating the waterways safely, in order to avoid boat mishaps.

    The facilitator of the awareness campaign, Chief Nimisoere Hutchinson-Bobmanuel, in his welcome address on March 23, noted that the well-attended event was timely and a step in the right direction, while urging passengers of boats to always wear life jackets with whistles and the boats should not be overloaded.

    Hutchinson-Bobmanuel insisted that the boats must have fire extinguishers, lifebuoys and that refueling must not be done on the way, to prevent accident, advising that enough fuel should be taken at the various jetties.

    The National President of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, Nnamdi Ilodiuba, who is based in Ikotun, Lagos and was one of the resource persons at the awareness campaign, urged the boat operators to be safety conscious.

    A fellow of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, Timothy Iwuagwu, an engineer, urged drivers of boats to always have clear view while on the waterways, while passengers were also admonished to ensure that they had proper assessment of the drivers of the boats, before embarking on the journeys.

    Iwuagwu declared that reckless and unstable behaviours of drivers of boats should never be condoned by the passengers, while advising against night journeys, considering the risks involved and security challenges in Nigeria, especially on the waterways, and he urged boats’ drivers and passengers to always buy/use genuine or original life jackets that would stand the test of time, not the fake or sub-standard ones.

    An official of Cornerstone Insurance Company, Onajite Prosper Orijedje, stated that comprehensive insurance policies were necessary for the boats, the drivers and passengers, in order to be on the safe side, stressing that as people would be thinking safety, they must also think insurance, considering the fact that the boats, made of fibre, could crack.

    The Southsouth Zonal Director of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Olusegun Abiodun, who was represented by NIMASA’s District Surveyor in Port Harcourt, Mr. Layiwola Olanrewaju, lauded the stakeholders for coming together to think safety, but urged them to avoid shortcuts, since only living persons could work.

    The Deputy General Manager, Marine, of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Agbahi Fidelis Ebiala, who came from NIWA’s headquarters in Lokoja, Kogi State, admonished the drivers and passengers of boats to always be safety conscious, especially on the inland waterways.

    The Second-in-Command, Marine Police of the Rivers State Police Command, Gajere Raynan, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), advised against overloading of boats, in order to be able to navigate safely and easily, while urging boat drivers to always obey the laws on marine safety, assuring that safety on the waterways would be ensured.

    An occupational health and safety professional, Pastor Ilodeami Macsoto Mopho, who is also a fellow of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria, reiterated that with the rivers and seas being very wide and deep, the risks would be higher, while urging drivers of boats to always be careful, describing safety as a collective responsibility, thereby making it imperative for passengers and drivers of boats to be safety conscious at all times.

    One of the boat drivers, Dagogo Hart, of Bonny-Port Harcourt route, stated that the awareness campaign helped the privileged participants to know more about safety on the waterways, stressing that it would go a long way to help their passengers to be safe.

    Another boat driver, Abraham Iringeresibo, also plying the route of Bonny Island, the base of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Company, which can only be accessed for now by boat, as the Bodo-Ogoni/Bonny coastal road by the construction giant, Julius Berger, is still under construction, described the awareness campaign as high educative, very timely and a step in the right direction, while requesting for more.

    Deputy General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Deep Water of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Dr. Nkoyo Attah, stated that the oil giant and its partners were concerned about safety of the passengers and drivers of boats, thereby necessitating the awareness campaign, which she said would be taken round the country.

    The Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water, Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Ahmadu-Kida Musa, in his address, noted that the marine safety awareness campaign not only focused on safety, which he described as a core value at Total, but a demonstration of the oil firm’s commitment to promoting safety best practices, environmental protection, business ethics and corporate social responsibility everywhere Total officials work.

    Musa, who was represented by the General Manager, CSR, Deep Water of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Dr. Charles Ngerebara, stated that Total was proud of its contributions to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

    The deputy managing director said: “As a group, we (Total) have been present in Africa for more than 80 years and in Nigeria for 60 years. Total’s upstream branch has added over 2.3 billion barrels (of crude oil) to Nigeria’s production in the last five years and has also invested approximately $10 billion in the country. Through decades of executing development projects, Total’s activities have contributed to creating jobs and human capacity development in Nigeria.

    “We are delighted to note that today, reference is being made to us as the industry benchmark for Nigerian content, given our significant investments in local capacity development through our Ofon 2 and Egina projects. Egina has the highest deepwater local content ever in Nigeria.

    “We operate the Akpo field (OML 130) and we are currently developing the Egina field, which will come on stream this year, with a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day. With such offshore and deepwater operations, marine safety is very important to us.

    “Our company, on a yearly basis, offers graduate and post-graduate scholarships and skills’ acquisition, not only to the indigenes of the areas where we produce oil and gas, but to all eligible Nigerians. We have and we will continue to contribute meaningfully to the overall development of Nigeria and its people. At Total, we remain committed to Nigeria and we will always seek ways to make positive impacts in our business environment.”

    Musa also stated that at Total, by making safety its core value, the oil giant was reaffirming, in the clearest of terms, that safety remained the ultimate measure of success in the oil industry.

    The deputy managing director lauded the resource persons and marine operators in attendance at the awareness campaign, who availed themselves the opportunity to acquire new information and gain knowledge that would make the waterways safer for everyone, describing safety as the responsibility of everybody.

    Other oil companies/multinationals should emulate Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria in CSR, thereby making lives of the people of their host communities and others much better, easier and safer, with all the positive impacts to be highly appreciated by the beneficiaries.

  • Brand new entrepreneurs in Niger Delta

    Brand new entrepreneurs in Niger Delta

    The people of Rivers State’s communities covered by the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 58, being operated by the oil giant, Total Exploration and Production (E&P) Nigeria Limited, gathered at Elele-Alimini in Emohua Local Government Area of the Niger Delta State on February 16 to promote the creation of entrepreneurs in the region rich in crude oil and gas.

    The gathering at the Elele Total E&P farm, which involved monarchs, top security chiefs and other eminent personalities, was the official transfer of special oil palm seedlings from the pre-nursery to nursery, thereby enabling farmers in the area to boost agricultural production, particularly the multinational’s novel programme in enterprise development for farmers in the OML 58 operational area.

    The new oil palm seedlings have many advantages over the traditional oil palm currently used by farmers in Nigeria, as they grow to maturity in three years, against the five-year maturity period of the current seedlings, yield about 20 per cent more fruits and are shorter in height at full maturity.

    The “Oil Palm Super Hybrid Malaysia” enables harvesting without climbing the palm tree and produces more juicy fruits at a shorter harvesting cycle, thereby enabling the farmer to receive more revenue at shorter intervals.

    The Manager of Maclyns Global Resources Limited, Ugochukwu Mackintosh, while giving the details of the transfer of the oil palm seedlings from the pre-nursery to nursery, on being able to withstand sunlight, before eventually being moved to the farm around June this year, emphasised that the seedlings were not genetically modified and very safe.

    Mackintosh noted that every part of the unique oil palm could produce money, but stated that planting the seedlings needed techniques, with special training required, since the pre-germinated seeds were imported from Malaysia, while describing workers of the oil giant at the Elele farm as hardworking and dedicated, calling on Total to sustain the initiative.

    During the programme, which was spiced up with cultural displays and entertainment by guest artistes, the Supervisor for Agriculture and Natural Resources of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council of Rivers state, Azubuike Nwangwe, pointed out that holding the programme in the hitherto volatile area was a sign of return of peace, adding that his council had always supported agriculture, in order to diversify the economy, rather than relying on non-sustainable crude oil and gas.

    The Commanding Officer of nearby 343 Artillery Regiment, Elele, Lt. Col. A. S. Ilelah, who was represented by Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Igwilo Igwilo, noted that adequate security had always been provided in the area by the Nigerian Army, with end being put to militancy, cultism, kidnapping and other criminal activities.

    Manager, Business and Enterprise Development of Total, Philippe Desriac, in his welcome address, noted that the oil firm was committed to empowering people of its host communities, stressing that no nation could grow, without placing emphasis on agriculture.

    The oil giant’s Community Relations Manager, Onshore, Chile Izim, urged Nigerians to embrace agriculture to make their lives better and ensure economic independence.

    The Deputy Managing Director, Port Harcourt District of Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Mr. Francois Le-Cocq, in his keynote address, stated that the programme was the continuation of the oil giant’s desire to challenge the people to the positive reinforcement of the firm’s commitments on sustainability of the programmes introduced to the stakeholders.

    He noted that the aim of the initiative was to create entrepreneurs who could use the resources available in the environment and chart new courses for the future of their people, pointing out that his company’s target was the future and how to begin today to prepare for it.

    Le-Cocq, who was represented by Total’s Advisor on Community Affairs, Mr. Aniefiok Akpan, said: “The programme is what we call the ‘New Oil Palm Scheme for Grassroots Farmers in OML 58’ and it is designed to help farmers experiment with new brand of oil palm seedlings, called the Oil Palm Super Hybrid Malaysia.

    “The decision by Total to introduce the new oil palm seedlings to farmers is to boost agricultural development as a viable and profitable business. To ensure the continuation of this scheme, we are not stopping at making the seedlings available, we have also included a technical training package for all the beneficiaries, to teach them how they can become good oil palm farmers.

    “In order to ensure that the scheme is sustainable, we have also reserved an area within the Elele Seed Multiplication Centre (SMC) for the purpose of planting new germinated grains, which will be used to support future beneficiaries with the super hybrid seedlings. We envisage that the scheme will continue into the future and we need to prepare for the seedlings’ demands.”

    The deputy managing director also stated that the oil company’s motivation was to ensure the continuous development of the value chains in different sectors of small and medium size enterprises, to grow the local economies of the host communities.

    He said: “In introducing this scheme, we are building on the various programmes in agriculture extension services, including the provision of improved seedlings and cassava stems to farmers in OML 58.

    “We see the need to continue to enhance the agricultural potential of this area as key to the food security of the area and the state at large.”

    Le-Cocq also admonished all the beneficiaries of the improved seedlings to make good use of the inputs to become very successful oil palm farmers and to serve as good references for oil palm farming in Nigeria.

    Analysts believe Total should be emulated by other multinationals, especially supporting agriculture and farmers, in order to ensure self-sufficiency in food production, empowerment of the people and moving the nation forward.