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Tony John, Port Harcourt
Host communities of OML-25, Belema, Offoin-Ama and Ngeje in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, have declined to attend a meeting convened by Governor Nyesom Wike, through the office of the Secretary to the State Government, pertaining the shutdown of Belema Flow Station (OML).
They have also urged the state government not to meddle into the matter, which according to them, is being handled by the Presidency for dialogue, negotiation and peaceful resolution.
Also, the three host communities have called on Federal Government and security agencies to prevail on the state government on their protracted face-off with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
Speaking, the spokesman of Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, and the Secretary of Belema Council of Chiefs, Alabo Fiala Okoye-Davies, disclosed that the state government has planned to hold a meeting on June 22, on how to reopen OML 25.
Okoye-Davies noted that no stakeholder in the area was invited for the said meeting, adding that those invited are not members of the host communities of OML25.
He said: “It is with great sense of responsibility that we hold this press conference to call the attention of the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, over meeting slated to hold on 22 June, 2019, inviting the host communities of OML25 via the Office of the Secretary to the state government pertaining the shutdown of Belema flow station.
“We wish to state that key players and rightful leaders of the communities were not invited to the said meeting. Rather, some persons invited for the meeting are not members of the Host Communities of OML25.
“This matter is being handled by the Presidency and is currently before the office of the Vice President for dialogue, negotiation and peaceful resolution which the Rivers State Government is fully aware of.”
Daily Sun gathered that the three communities had two years ago, shutdown operations at OML25 over alleged abandonment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and neglect by SPDC.
“There is no gainsaying that the communities have not benefited from any meaningful development in terms of healthcare delivery, education, economic empowerment and infrastructure, social amenities, employment, among other basic amenities after over 38 years of oil exploration in the area”, the spokesman noted.
The spokeman noted that they do not have confidence in the ability of the state government to resolve the matter, as previous administrations could not handle the matter.
“The host communities of OML25 do not have confidence in the Rivers State Government handling this matter as previous administrations of Dr. Peter Odili and Chibuike Amaechi of which the present governor was part of these administrations, could not resolve.
