Rivers State government says it would no longer tolerate a situation where communities interfere in oil production activities.
The Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Deacon Clapton Ogolo, gave the warning in Port Harcourt at the signing ceremony of a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) between some communities in the state and oil giant, Shell.
The communities include Engenni and Ekpeye in Ahoada West, Ekpeye communities in Ahoada East, and some communities in Opobo/Nkoro local government areas.
For some time now, facilities of the major oil firms operating in the Niger Delta have become targets of attack by communities, which storm their platforms and flow stations protesting non-implementation of agreements between both parties. Often, their personnel are taken hostage while oil production is disrupted.
But Ogolo said the success of the GMoU would depend on how the communities allowed oil firms to engage in smooth production activities.
The commissioner, who was represented by Mrs Blessing Daniel-Kalio, said with the signing of the document, the communities are now partakers in their development process, adding that the agreement had afforded them the opportunity of having well mapped out development strategies.
Shell�s Director, Government and Corporate Affairs, Mr Christian Nwachukwu, said the GMoU represented a new paradigm in the company�s efforts to continuously improve its community interface management process and practice.
He explained that the GMoU approach emphasised the need for optimisation of development resources in order to achieve greater impact for larger population across wider geographical space, adding that the agreement placed emphasis on partnering and partnership.
“It also emphasises community ownership and empowerment and provides opportunities for leveraging development resources from external environment,” he said, and commended the communities for their support throughout the period of the negotiation.
King Dandeson Douglas Jaja of Opobo Kingdom and the Eze Ekpeye Logbo, Eze Robinson Robinson, in separate speeches on behalf of their communities, thanked Shell for its effort towards developing their host communities, but said the success of the agreement would depend on how well the company implemented the document.