OML 30 HOST COMMUNITIES THREATENED TO SHUT DOWN OIL PRODUCTIONS, GIVES NPDC, JV PARTNERS 14 DAYS ULTIMATUM TO MEET DEMANDS, OR……

Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri

Twelve host communities within the Kokori/Orogun Field in OML 30 have given a fourteen days ultimatum to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Shoreline Natural Resources Ltd to urgently address its demands that includes payment of arrears of rentals and leases as well as remediation of their environment among others failing which they would shut down operations in the Field until their demands are met.

This ultimatum is contained in a statement signed by Michael Idiovba, Chamberlain Ogor, Hon. Onome Okpako and nine others on behalf of the communities and made available to the National Reformer Newspaper, the communities further threatened that if the management of NPDC and its Joint Venture Partners  fail to address their demands, they would take their destinies in their own hands by defending their rights with the last drop of their blood.

The communities located in Ethiope East and Ughelli North Local Government Areas listed their eleven points demands to include payment of arrears on rentals and leases, remediation of the environment as well as avoid further environmental degradation, construction/tarring of roads  where the company operates in the area, 5 per cent of production must be invested for community development, 25 per cent equity shares must be invested in the communities, employment and contract opportunities for them as well as workable integrated development plan for the host communities.

While berating NPDC and its Joint Venture Partners for ignoring several peace moves by them to sort out issues, the host communities accused the companies of surreptitiously continuing to operate the OML 30 Field by hoodwinking them with commencement of negotiation on the draft GMoU in 2013 which according to them has not seen the light of the day implemented till date.

The communities lamented that the OML 30 Field that has been operated for the past fifty years first by Shell Petroleum Development Company before the divestment has brought them no meaningful development.

According to the host communities, “it is pertinent to state that our patience have been over stretched. We will not continue to fold our arms and allow your establishments further degrade our communities and environment  without urgently and satisfactorily addressing our aforesaid demands. We are prepared to defend and protect our God given resources and interest with the last drop of our blood against anybody including your establishments if our demands are not met.”

The communities further warned, “take notice that your establishment and its Joint Venture Partner, Shoreline Natural Resources Ltd are hereby given 14 days of the receipt of this missive to adequately address our modest demands, if you fail, omit or neglect to accede to our request, we shall be constrained to shut down all your operations in Orogun Field of OML 30 until our demands are met’”

The statement was copied President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Group Managing Director, NNPC, traditional rulers and  security chiefs and Commissioner for Justice/Attorney-General of Delta State.