By Anthony Obiorah in Awka.
Oil service providers in Anambra state have been warned to respect the rights due to their host communities by doing the needful in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),to ensure peace between them and such communities as well as boost community development.
The Commissioner in the middle,in group picture with the parties after the meeting.
The Commissioner of Petroleum and Natural Resources in the state, ,Barrister Anthony Ifeanya,gave the warning while speaking during Journalists in an interview immediately after a meeting with the representatives of the Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company of the Oguaniocha community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state.
He noted that the meeting was well attended by the parties involved, adding that that the parties arrived at a good understanding to the fact that he had drum it to the ears of the Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company that they should do the needful by respecting the rights of its host communities in the State.
Ifeanya, who reminded the Company that its operations in the State was guided by law,said that the law had taken care of the long aged misunderstanding between them and their host communities.
The Commissioner advised the two Oil Company to sign the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) and as well recognize Mr Franklin Chukwujioha as the Liaison Officer of the community.
He warned the Leadership of the company not to view the on – going fracas in the community as an excuse not to sign the Global Memorandum of Understand as requested by the people of Oguaniocha community.
This he argued became imperative because they had continued to drill oil in the area even in the face of the fracas,adding that as a reasonable Company, it suppose to wade into the crises and restore permanent peace in the community.
He expressed optimism that signing of the Global Memorandum of Understand by the two contending parties would not doubt help in no small measure in realizing the lofty dreams of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo in building a smart mega city in the State.
The Commissioner, who stressed that where there is peace ,that there is progress, confirmed that the operations of the SEEPCO “is very important to the State” ,pointing out that it was through the oil producing at Oguaniocha community of the state that the State was able to be enlisted as an oil producing State in the country.
He stressed that the State government would never allow any thing to jeopardize the operations of the company in the State, hence its diplomatic approach to the matters that concerned it and its host community with a view to giving peace a chance to reign in the area.
He said that Governor Soludo wants peace in the state, adding that if SEEPCO could sign the GMOU and recognize the CLO, as demanded by the Community, such development would “quench the lingering crises in the community and their collective interests duly protected.”
The Commissioner said that the Community would benefit from the largess of the oil well and have some entitlements such as employment opportunities,remittal projects like schools,hospitals, roads infrastructure and cottage industries among others as part of the social responsibility of the Company to the host community.
The President- General of Oguaniocha Community,Comrade Chidi Eze,confirmed that the community had unanimously given a fourteen-day ultimatum to the Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company to stop work in the Community or face the wrath of the Community, in the event that it fails to sign the Global Memorandum of Understanding and recognize Mr Chukwujioha as CLO.
The Community leader called on the company to desist from unlawful activities,a development, he note,had rendered many residents in the community homeless.
The Chairman of the Global Memorandum of Understanding in the Community, Mr.Anthony Ebonwu,said SEEPCO had not given recognition to the need to consider the wellbeing of the people of Oguaniocha community.
He pleaded with the Commissioner to compel the SEEPCO to sign the Global Memorandum of Understanding,to quench further escalation of crises in the Community.
In their separate speeches,the Youth President of the Community, Mr.Uchenna Onyedi,the Women Leader, Mrs.Apollonia Ezenwa,Secretary Global Memorandum of Understanding,Prince Ignatius Nnaji,said that the Company had rendered their Community baseless.
They warned that the youth of Community were serious with the fourteen days ultimatum they have issued to the Company to stop work, adding that that the activities of the company in the community had destroyed their homes,farmlands and their livestock, worth hundreds of millions of naira without any compensation.
On their parts, the two Attorneys and Solicitors General of the Community, Barrister Michael Egbebuike and Barrister Chimezie Ani,said that what their clients were asking for were very simple and gave the Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company up till 1st and 10th June to harmonise the impending GMOU.
They slated June 15 for the signing of GMOU by the representatives of the two disagreeing parties.
The event featured the presentation of the unsigned GMOU to the Commissioner by the people of the Oguaniocha Community as well as a copy of the fourteen days ultimatum issued to the Company by the youths of Community to stop further work in the area.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
