Egbema Humanitarian Rights Issues Twenty one (21) Days Ultimatum To NNPC , Elcrest , NUPRC, Assocaite Operators For Failure To Implement PIA Host Communities Development Trust in Respect of Oloduwa Communities
By Wilson Macaulay
The leadership of Egbema Communities Humanitarian Rights Association has issued a 21-Day Ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company , E & P Limited, (NNPCL), Elcrest, E& P Nigeria Limited, Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC ) and her Associate Operators effective from
14th June 2024 to 3rd July 2024.
The Oloduwa Communities unequivocally demanded immediate action on the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) Host Communities Development Trust in respect of Oloduwa Communities to avert chaos in the oil rich Egbema Kingdom.
The Ultimatum in strong term highlighted significant humanitarian rights issues and reflects the Communities growing concern and frustration over the perceived neglect and failure to adhere to statutory obligations aimed at promoting local development and addressing the communities grieviances in general.
A Press Statement signed by Comrade Mike JK Tiemo, the President
of the Group and two others made available to Daily lndependent Newspaper reads in part:
” We the Leadership, concerned indigenes, inhabitants ,stakeholders and descendants of Oloduwa that hails from Oloduwa Communities in OML 40 of Opuama flow station in Egbema Kingdom Warri North L.G.A of Delta State that covers more than 77 Oloduwa Communities under the platform or auspices of Egbema Communities Peace Development & Humanitarian Rights Association hereby issues a Twenty (21 ) Day Ultimatum to NNPC E&P Limited former NPDC, Eclrest E&P Limited , Associate Operators and NUPRC due to absolute failure to implement the PlA Host Communities Development Trust enacted and established by Law Sometimes in 2022.
The Statement added: “The clear or basic facts and reasons that occasioned the Prompt action of the Twenty (21 Day Ultimatum is that, in pursuant to PIA chapter three (3) of the Host Communities Development Act, it states that the main objective is to foster sustainable prosperity within Host Communities, to provide direct social and economic benefits and enhance harmonious co-existence between Licenses or Lesses and the host communities. ”
The Group therefore advocated that the regulatory Act in respect of an area covered by petroleum mining Lease or petroleum prospecting License must be properly treated in the spirit and letter of Local Content and PIA Act or law.
Speaking further, they posited: “We are indeed so astonish that NNPC Limited, the major key player and foundation or pillars of federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources that enacted the PIA Act and law failed to implement the PIA Host Communities Development
Trust establishment since 2022 till date.”
The angry and highly agitated Oloduwa People asserted: “In retrospection, your Company NPDC now known and called NNPC E&P Limited failed to establish and implement Global Memorandum of understandings GMOU since the commencement of operations in Oloduwa Communities sometimes 2012 till 2022 without any tangible Community Development Projects, Employment, Capacity Building,Human
Capital Development, youth/ women Empowerment, Award of Scholarships etc.”
The Oloduwa Communities in the Ultimatum order remarked: “Enough is Enough for NNPC E&P Limited, Eclrest E&P Limited and Associate Operators Manipulations, denial and Deprivation of Oloduwa Communities. ”
Continuing, they said: “Furthermore ,we also demand for the provision of the Communities Development Fund/ Money with effect from 2012 to 2022 as a result of your refusal to establish GMOU’s and the absence of Development projects etc for just recent small sign of Gas Turbine construction is on going .”
The Oloduwa Communities lamented saying: ” Indeed, your failure to comply within the orbit of the stipulated time frame or the expiration of the notice, the companies, NNPC E&P LTD, Eclrest E&P Limited and Associated Operators should be ready to face total shut down of all oil facilities, flow stations and Manifolds because PIA Host Communities Development Trust Establishment is the only access to liaise , communicate , have dealings with your company and develop our communities in line with your core corporate social responsibilities.”
The Statement clarified:”We wish to conclude this Ultimatum Order by pointing out that ,since 2007 till date
in OML 30 that is made up of 112 Communities, NPDC and Associate Operators have carried out massive community developmental Projects while in Oloduwa Communities of OML 40 also operated by the same NPDC, for reasons best known to them, they have
bluntly refused to execute any Community developmental Project.
Finally, they stressed that the Companies are busy extracting and exporting billions of crude oil while the Oloduwa Communities are left in darkness and poverty.
