Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri
Association of Families of Oil and Gas Producing Communities (ASFOGAPCOM) have lent their voice and support to the growing clamour for the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan come 28 March 2015 just as they have called on government as well as relevant stakeholders in the oil/gas sector to address the issue of gross neglect, discrimination and marginalization of it’s members who are hosts to oil/gas facilities across the country.
This call was made by Mr. Joseph Abinogun, National President, Association of Families of Oil and Gas Producing Communities (ASFOGAPCOM) in a statement made available to the National Reformer Newspaper in Effurun, he said described President Jonathan as a true leader with uncommon passion and dedication to steer Nigeria out of the woods.
Mr. Abinogun posited that President Jonathan’s long list of achievement coupled with the momentum with which his transformation agenda is positively impacting on every facets of Nigeria socioeconomic environment remains a matchless testimony, adding, “You will begin to wonder whether this is the same country that laid prostrate and virtually comatose under the “old ruling order” for many years but today, Nigeria is on the march to greatness.”
Speaking on the success being recorded by the military against Boko Haram, Mr. Abinogun said that when the smoke and fire of the ongoing battle shall settle very soon, Nigerians will laugh at the end of the day, adding. “Honestly, President Jonathan deserves to be reelected so that there would be no interruption of the marvelous transformation programmes currently being witnessed in virtually every sector of the Nigeria
Mr. Abinogun advised landowners to collect their PVC to enable them exercise their franchise, adding that ” President Jonathan and the PDP are no doubt the synergy we need at this material time for a greater Nigeria”.
The National President of ASFOGAPCOM also used the opportunity to appeal to President Jonathan to use his good office to address the issue of the gross neglect, marginalization and discrimination against oil and gas landowners in the Niger Delta, as their continued exclusion and discrimination amounts to a flagrant denial of their socioeconomic rights as a people.
According to Mr. Abinogun, “If you take a cursory look at the oil and gas industry, you will notice that there is a growing trend of discontent and intra-stakeholders tension, if not conflict, and this should not be allowed to get out of hand. In order to achieve this, government and intervention agencies must identity and respect the uniqueness of oil and gas landowners as a stakeholder group that is distinct from the political apparatus that now arrogates the “host communities” title to themselves to the brazen exclusion of the landowners. Consequently, this very injurious practice whereby oil and gas landowners are presumably subsumed with the host communities charade, has inadvertently caused more harm to oil and gas landowners than good. Apart from the urgent need to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, government should pursue an inclusive, transparent and accountable process of tolerance, protection of minorities, rights as well as give equal opportunity to all for an enduring climate of peace and development”‘
He spoke further on the need for inclusion of the oil and gas landowners, “We have made our position very clear at various fora on the necessity to identity, define and demarcate the various stakeholder groups hitherto embedded, albeit wrongly, in the bogus and obnoxious term called “host communities”. Our stand and recommendations on thus burning issue is in itself, a sufficient instrument of conflict prevention and a booster to the full and free development of the individual human capacity in conditions of equality even in diversity.
