Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The people of Oil Mineral License (OML), 79 host communities in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State have urged the Federal Government, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and her Joint Ventures partners, JV, to ignore any purported 21 days ultimatum from a section of the communities and go on with their operations in the area.
The indigenes who include leaders and elders from the OML 79 host communities under the aegis of Concern Citizens of Kou, Iduwini, Bassan West, and Mein Clan SPDC EA Communities in a statement through its spokesman, Chief Paul Oweipade stated that the SPDC has performed its obligation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in line with the General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) guiding the OML 79 operations.
The group noted that while SPDC had discharged its duties in line with the CSR, some elements in the community are conspiring to disrupt the peace.
The statement read in part “We categorically wish to inform SPDC and her Joint Ventures ,JV, to disregard any purported 21 days ultimatum as SPDC and her JV have fulfilled their Corporate Social Responsibility,CSR, for the communities regarding the ongoing OML 79 Further Oil Development ,FOD, Projects in our domain.
“Sadly, it is regretted to note that while the SPDC has done its part in the implementation of the CSR under community content, however, some members of the community have traded off the jobs and contracts meant for the communities to non indigenous contractors.
“For the avoidance of doubts SPDC and her JV have in her CT Agreement implemented the following contracts, 10 vessels supply contracts, Automative Gas Oil,AGO, supply, Waste Management, Portable water supply, employments of indigenes of the communities under FOD, although they have been placed on sit-at-home salary due to the attitude of the cluster board leaders.
“It is also instructive to note that the EA operations started in 2001 and not 2006 as alleged and SPDC has not been paying vessels anchorage fee since inception.
“We are also surprised as we recalled that based on our protest letter and the issues we raised, SPDC held a meeting with the communities’ stakeholders in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa some months ago where these same people threatening SPDC operations sang the praises of SPDC and JV to high heavens for their performance. Then why are they now making a u-turn so suddenly?”