By John Dugbe – Ughelli
FOLLOWING their alleged continued marginalisation by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and Nest Oil Plc, host communities of the companies namely Kokodiagbene, Omadino, Ekpemu-Akpata, Okerenkoko and Akpata Gbe-Gbe have vowed not to sign fresh Freedom To Operation, (FTO) for the oil servicing companies.
In a press statement signed by Austine Oniyesan, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, Chief James Tangbowei, Chief Mosco Johnny and Isaiah Odu, Omadino, Kokodiagbene, Okerenkoko, Ekpemu-Akpata and Akpata Gbe-Gbecommunities respectively, after a meeting between Jones Creek Oil Field host communities and Nest Oil Plc, held in Warri, Delta state, yesterday, stated that Jones Creek oil field is the largest single oil producing field in the West Africa sub-region as it produces out 250,000 barrels per day.
It explained that in 2010, the fields were taken over by NPDC when SPDC divested its investments in the area, adding that ever since then, the company and its major contractor, Nest Oil Plc, running the facilities have continued to marginalize the communities.
It said, “Our findings have shown that there is connivance among NPDC management personnel to register companies in their names and subletting contracts to the same companies to look as confirming with local content stipulations of the federal government. We have details of these companies and one of them is even trying to get an FTO from the host communities to do business with the company”.
The communities expressed anger over what they called the “no-employment” policy of NPDC to the people of the host communities, describing it as very appalling and atrocious.
“Henceforth, payment of workers salary shall not exceed 10th of the preceding month. Host community flow line contractors shall be mobilised to site side by side on or before the end of July, 2015.
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