The Governor
of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has waded into the crisis between
Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Ubogo community in Udu Local
Government Area of the state.
Okowa
commended the NPDC and Ubogo community for agreeing to resolve the crisis that
had temporarily halted the company's operation and its migration from Oil
Mining Licence 65 to OML 49 for oil exploration activities in the area.
Represented
by the State Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Prince Emman Amgbaduba, the governor
charged both parties to embrace Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) in
resolving the crisis.
Okowa, who
met with the representatives of the warring parties at the Government House
Annex, Warri, yesterday enjoined them to embrace peace in the interest of
development.
The
governor, who had separately met with representatives of both parties before a
joint meeting said his administration is committed to providing enabling
environment for companies to operate.
Okowa, while
bemoaning the rising cases of disagreement between oil firms and their host
communities pleaded with host communities against shutting down oil facilities
in their domain as the action affects the revenue of the state.
He appealed
that whenever there are problems, stakeholders should come together and put the
issues on the table and find a proper solution to them.
According to
him: “As a government, we are not pleased with the incessant dispute between
Oil companies and their host communities.
"The
Okowa administration is strongly concerned about the interest of all Deltans,
so is the production of Oil and Gas that generates revenue for the government
to deliver on her manifesto to Deltans.
"So,
there must be a meeting point between the interest of the communities as well
as that of operators of these facilities because when you shut down oil
companies operations you are reducing the revenue accruable to the government
which should have been used to carry out development activities in our communities."
"Governor
Ifeanyi Okowa is concerned about the frequent crisis between Oil companies and
their host communities and that's why the state government mooted the policy of
the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU).
"Our
ministry is ever ready to mediate between oil companies and their host
communities and as such I appeal to you all to allow the company to carry on their
operations while we seek alternative means to resolve this dispute" he
added.
Earlier, the
representatives of Ubogo community led by the President-General of Ubogo
community, Timothy Larry, told the governor to prevail on NPDC to urgently
settle issues that led to the face-off, adding that the community had not
benefited anything from the company.
"We
have agreed to give peace a chance because we have tremendous respect for our
amiable Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa whom God has used to bring development
to Udu Kingdom as well as other strategic appointments and empowerment
programmes."
"However,
because of the love and respect we have for our amiable Governor Ifeanyi Okowa,
we have agreed to obey the government's appeal as a mark of respect for the
Governor for his unprecedented infrastructural development in Udu Kingdom and
for appointing our son Chief Vincent Oyibode as DESOPADEC Commissioner."
On their
part, Deputy Manager, Community Relations of NPDC, Noble Imabibo, while
appreciating the state government’s intervention, appealed to the community to
sheathe their sword assuring that both parties will work together to ensure
peace and development of the area.
He noted
that the company will continue to tow the part of peace with her host
communities, adding that NPDC was willing to work with the State Government and
its host communities by embracing the policy of GMoU in their areas of
operations.
The peace
meeting was also attended by DESOPADEC Commissioner, Chief Vincent Oyibode and
Com. Emmanuel Eyakagba, Executive Assistant to the Governor on HOSTCOM.
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