Port Harcourt — Ekpeye Oil, Gas and Pipelines Host Families Association, says the Memorandum of Understanding, signed between Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, NDPR,
Nigeria’s marginal fields acreage
and the host communities of Ogbelle, Obumeze, and Oshibokor, is not functional.
Chairman of the Association, Chidi Dogini, who disclosed this, accused the oil firm of deploying what he described as “divide and rule tactics” in order to carry out their operations in Ahoada East LGA of Rivers State.
Dogini urged the oil firm to make public the signed MoU for proper monitoring and implementation, for the purpose of bringing the desired development to the host families, communities, and Ekpeye ethnic nationality at large, in line with their yearning and aspiration.
He urged NDPR to adhere to the Local Content Act for lasting peace, regretting that the corporate social responsibility of all the oil firms operating in the area, was marred with irregularities and disregard to the host families and communities.
“NDPR is full of the Nigerian mentality. They employ divide and rule tactics in order to carry out their operations. You have an MoU with the host communities, but how functional is it?
“No family in the host communities has sighted a copy since the acclaimed signing of the MoU. Funny enough, the leadership of the communities can not boast of having a copy.
“We are ready and prepared to address the defiance of the oil companies in complying with their corporate social responsibility. What baffles me most is that it is the same story with all the oil companies operating in Ekpeye Land.”
Dogini also advised the host communities to resist the temptation of settling for less, as he said the Association was ready to ensure the strict compliance of the MoU signed, with a view of making it functional, for even development across the host communities.
He further advised aggrieved youths of the area against the destruction of oil facilities, as it was an act of sabotage against the Federal Government and advised aggrieved persons to channel their complaints to the association.
“We will continue to engage the oil and gas companies to adhere strictly to the Local Content Act, as a group. We are at the same time, calling on our youths to eschew destruction of oil and gas facilities.”
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