Ben Dunno, Warri
The Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum has threatened to resist plan to relocate the head office of the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NMGC), a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from Warri to Abuja.
The umbrella body of youths group in Delta State described the agenda as a ploy and conspiracy to further impoverished the Niger Delta region, especially the oil-bearing communities that produces the nation’s wealth.
Ity noted that the planned relocation of oil companies from their operational bases in Niger Delta was at variance with the directive of the Federal Government that all oil companies should relocate their headquarters back to the region.
The group, in a statement signed by Eric Omare, President, IYC, Agbateyiniro Weyinmi, President, INYC, Ovie Umuakpo, President, INYA, Festus Oviesiri, President, UYC, Benjamin Onwubolu, President, NYM, and Emeke Asike of the Ika Youth Movement, disclosed that they are in possession of a leaked memo to this effect.
“We are privy to a memo dated April 3 and addressed to NNPC group managing director, seeking for approval to relocate the company head office from Warri to Abuja based on alleged and non-existing security concerns in Warri.
“This plan to relocate the NMGC head office to Abuja is against the existing presidential directive that oil and gas companies in Nigeria should relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region.
“We wonder why the cabal in the NNPC is determined to relocate NMGC headquarters to Abuja despite the fact that the gas which they market is produced in Delta State and its environs.
“We are more than ever determined and prepared to resist this evil plan by the NNPC top management with everything we have to ensure we secure justice both for our land and the people.
“And if it happens that we cannot get government to put an end to this evil agenda, then, we may not be able to guarantee the peaceful atmosphere for companies to operate in Delta State.
“We wonder why Delta State is not good enough to host the headquarters of a company but is good enough to be the highest oil and gas producing states and thereby contributing substantially the nation’s economy,” the body said.