Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Ag Secretary, Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs.

By Francis Sadhere

The Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs, in Warri South West local government area of Delta on Thursday called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to prevail on NPDC/NECONDE, operators of OML 42 in Gbaramatu kingdom to honour agreement it had with the communities, vowing to shutdown the flow station if nothing is done.

The Acting Secretary, Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs, Chief Godspower Gbenekama who addressed journalists in Warri condemned the unwholesome activities of NPDC/NECONDE who he accused of tactically relegating indigenous contractors  in the community to the background.

He accused NPDC and NECONDE of awarding all their contracts to their cronies to the detriment of the indigenous contractors from the communities.

Gbenekama expressed his displeasure over “The unwholesome activities of members of NNPC/NPDC and her partner in NECONDE to tactically relegate all indigenous Niger Delta contractors by re-awarding all the contracts in OML 42 operations covering Ododi 1&2, Batan and Jones creeks flow stations to their cronies and tribesmen.

He noted that it was sad and unfortunate that the relegation of their contractors from their area was happening at a time when the communities, state and federal government have resolved to work as a team in pursuit of peace.

Gbenekama lamented that since the recommencement of oil exploration activities in OML 42 in 2012, no single community reentry project has been executed in the host communities.

He said that more disheartening was the blatant refusal of the GMD of NECONDE Energy Limited to honour his agreements with OML 42 host communities to remit 5% of its 45% equity to OML 42 host communities, adding that the community considered the act as very dishonest and inimical the continuous peace in the region.

Gbenekama stressed that the evil plot to replace all community workers currently working in OML 42 flow station by NPDC/NECONDE was a calculated attempt to short change local indigenes of their sources of livelihood.

He also called on the Minister of environment to urgently visit the site and take proactive measures and actions to save the already destroyed ecosystem.

“The refusal of the company to follow universal best practices in lifting of their crude oil from Jones Creek flow station have destroyed the ecosystem of our land because the process fall short of International best practices and standards, and so livelihood of the people has been frustrated.

“We will not sit and fold our hands to watch our common patrimony being plundered by some persons, and our environment bastardized in pursuit of their selfish interest,” Gbenekama noted.