Shell Petroleum Development Company has said that it has no plans whatsoever in relocating its corporate headquarters from Port Harcourt to Lagos or anywhere else, stating that, if for anything, the company would bring more staff to the Rivers State capital.
Debunking the speculations making the rounds regarding the movement, Acting Media Manager, SPDC, Mr. Precious Okolobo said there was �no iota of truth in the speculations that SPDC has concluded plans to move its headquarters to Lagos�.
At the External Affars Director�s Media Executive�s roundtable in Port Harcourt, Tuesday, Okolobo said it was �pure fallacy and tissue of lies�, that the company was at the verge of closing its entire operations and moving personnel out of the Niger-Delta region.
Although the rumour and wild speculations have been attributed to the mounting insecurity propelled by the frightening spate of kidnapping and hostage-takings and huge brigandage, the Shell spokesman said the statements were in the minds of the authors.
At no time, he said, did the company comtemplate or even muted the plan of relocating its head base from Port Harcourt, adding, �it has never crossed management�s mind� that it would look in that direction since the headquarters was shifted down to the state in 2004.
�The Shell management believes that the company was a citizen of the region and therefore, would not leave the people of the region to grapple with the problems of the area alone, come rain, come shine.�
Okolobo, however, acknowledged that the outfit was disposed to assisting, for safety sake, �expatriates working with the company who wish to relocate to Lagos or Abuja�, consequent upon the bad situation in the region.
The decision, he said, was the fallout of the various pieces of advice from countries whose nationals were in the region, to relocate to safer areas and secure cities for their own benefits. He then appealed to those concerned to restore law and order �to facilitate the development process of the region�.