From Joseph Obukata, Warri
Ugborodo federated communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have given the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and all International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in its domain a 30-day ultimatum to recognise Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT) as the adopted trust by the people for the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIA) within 30 days, failure to which they threatened to take their destiny in their hands.
The Ugborodo people alleged that there is an ongoing plot to scheme them out of the implementation of the PIA, vowing to resist within the ambit of the law any move not to register the adopted (Ikpere-HCDT) as the adopted trust for the implementation of the PIB.
The communities, comprising mainly Ode-Ugborodo, Ogidigben, Ajudaibo, Madangho and Ijaghala, among other adjoining communities, gave the warning during an enlarged stakeholders meeting held at the Ode-Ugborodo Town Hall, at the weekend.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting convened by the Eghare-Aja of Ugborodo, Eghare Daniel Uwawah, one of the leaders, Mr Alex Eyengho, who read the resolution of the meeting, maintained that a 30-day ultimatum was given to Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), others settlors and NUPRC to enable them dialogue and give recognition to Ikpere Host Community Development Trust.
He said that Ugborodo have resolved to “take her destiny in her hands but within the ambit of the law” should the relevant bodies fail to do the needful after the expiration of the ultimatum.
The communique reads: “After a robust and extensive General Meeting of the Ugborodo federated communities comprising mainly of Ode-Ugborodo, Ogidigben, Ajudaibo, Madangho and Ijaghala, among other adjoining communities, held at Ikpere Hall in Ode-Ugborodo, headquarters of Ugborodo federated communities otherwise known as Ugborodo community, the people resolved as follows:
“On the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), it was unanimously reaffirmed that the earlier chosen name of Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere HCDT), remains the name the adopted name by Ugborodo Community for the implementation of the PIA.
“That Ugborodo community remains steadfast on the insistence that the extant laws of the PIA and the accompanying Regulations of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) must be followed religiously in the implementation of the PIA, particularly as it concerns the constitution of members of the trustees, management committee, and advisory committee.
“That Ugborodo community and the NUPRC are on the same page on the all-important issue of adherence to the relevant laws and regulations guiding the implementation of the PIA in all ramifications, and this much has been made known by the NUPRC to the settlors (Chevron, Shell and other international oil companies, IOCs) operating in Ugborodoland.
“The interventions of the Delta State Government in the lingering issue concerning the implementation of the PIA in the Ugborodo community have been only to the extent of advocating for peace in the area and further advising the Ugborodo community to settle her internal problems.
“The Ugborodo community maintains her earlier position already in the public domain that it is not in any way whatsoever going against the Olu of Warri, the palace, and/or the other Itsekiri communities.
“All the Ugborodo community has said and still maintains until tomorrow is that the extant laws must be followed religiously in the implementation of the PIA, particularly in Ugborodoland. As a host community, Ugborodo community is big enough to have its own separate HCDT without prejudice to other host communities in Itsekiriland who may want to be lumped together under one HCDT.
“To this end, and for the purposes of emphasis, the Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT) has since been adopted by the good people of Ugborodo community.
“This is our irreducible position on the issue of the implementation of PIA in the Ugborodo community,
“We are using this opportunity to give Chevron, Shell, and other settlors operating in Ugborodo community, and the NUPRC a period of 30 days ultimatum from today, July 29, 2023, within which to follow the extant laws and regulations of the PIA by giving to Ugborodo Community the Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT), in the overall interest of peace, enabling environment, equity, justice and fair play. After the expiration of this ultimatum, Ugborodo community shall take her destiny in her hands but within the ambit of the law. A stitch in time saves nine.”
Other leaders of the Ugborodo community at the meeting included a member of the House of Representatives, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Chief Ayirimi Emami, Eghare-Aja of Ugborodo federated communities, Eghare-Daniel Uwawah, Mr Isaac Botosan, Engr Tuoyo Omatsuli and a Ugborodo youth leader, Wilson Ejeh as well as representatives of the communities that make up Ugborodo, also buttressed Eyengho’s submission.
Ereyitomi, who spoke during the general meeting, emphasized that Ugborodo people are not against the King (The Olu of Warri) hence, “nobody should use politics of kingship to affect PIA. The PIA is a law.”
He said: “All tank farms have their PIAs. The Trust would be briefing the king, it is about the kingdom moving on a progressive path. Stakeholders, Community representatives, Chevron Nigeria Limited and government, will look at the needs assessment. IRDC (Itsekiri Regional Development Committee) wasn’t a law, it was Chevron Nigeria Limited’s policy.
“The Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere) will replace Ugborodo Community Trust. The Eghare-Aja has consulted widely, PIA is a law. We won’t say because of Igbene (internal dispute) we won’t inaugurate the trust (Ikpere Host Community Development Trust). We will settle the Igbene. You should back the Ikpere Host Community Development Trust, later we will fix Igbene. The law says 3% of the operational cost is for the host communities.”
While addressing the large gathering of Ugborodo indigenes, Emami averred that whatever Shell Petroleum Development Company claimed to have done as regards the PIA, has nothing to do with Ugborodo.
According to Emami, “the PIA is a law and “not palace issue”, stressing that Ugborodo indigenes, remain resolute on what they told the Delta State government, regarding the independence of Ugborodo, in line with the relevant provisions of PIA.
“Omadino, Dibi and Olero fields, can stand on their own. Ugborodo is not part of any other arrangements in the PIA. During Chevron’s GMoU era, the other cluster host communities kept saying Ugborodo has no oil (crude oil) so we want to be independent in-line with the PIA. Delta State government told us not to fight, we won’t fight, but we will adhere strictly to the provisions of PIA”, Emami, who spoke in Itsekiri language, stated.
A former executive director of projects in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli; Mr. Andrew Igban, the National Youth Chairman of Ugborodo Community; Winson Ejeh as well as the Ugborodo community woman leader identified simply as Oritsematosan, were among notable indigenes of Ugborodo that addressed the large gathering in the presence of Eghare Daniel Uwawah.
Addressing newsmen on the sidelines of the meeting, one of the community leaders, Botosan, who said several letters had been forwarded to the appropriate quarters as regards Ikpere-HCDT, accused IOCs, especially SPDC of playing hide and seek, adding CNL has also reneged on its promise of meeting with the community leaders for about two months.
“We’ve written several letters. The last meeting we held with Chevron and the regulators, they promised to come back to us in two weeks, but it is almost two months now.
“We are still going to endure, but this ultimatum will start to count as of today. Whatever we do, as my brother said, we will carry out all our actions within the law; we will not take the law into our hands,” he said.
While fielding questions from journalists, Ejeh warned that the 30 days ultimatum given to IOCs and NUPRC, which began to count on July 29, remained sacrosanct