No fewer than 111 communities in Ugheli, Delta State, have challenged a multinational oil firm, Heritage Energy Operational Services (HEOS) for breaching agreements with the people of the area.
HEOS is the operator of the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30, located in Delta communities and considered one of the major oil production fields in the country.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, representative of the host communities and Chairman of the Community Development Board (CDB), Morris Idiovwa, said the oil firm has been using ‘divide and rule’ tactics to create dissatisfaction among the people of the area.
Mr. Idiovwa alleged that the company was already reneging on some of the agreements contained in the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) signed with the communities.
He said the appointment of a consultant by the oil firm to deal with issues affecting the host communities negated the provisions of the GMoU.
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Mr. Idiovwa, who was surrounded by presidents and chairmen of clusters from the 111 host communities, warned that if the oil firm still goes ahead to engage the suspicious consultant and non-governmental organisation (NGO) in dealing with them, they would shut down operations in the oil fields.
“We observed that the OML 30 is at the brink of a crisis that could lead to the shutdown of its operations. It has come to our attention that the peaceful environment being enjoyed by Heritage Energy Operational Services will stop and that is why we have come together and to take a decision,” he said.
“We are aware that Heritage Energy Operational Services is planning to introduce an NGO and a consultant to take over the affairs of OML 30’s GMoU and community relations. However, we do not want to deal with any consultant or NGO.
“We want to categorically state that Academic Associate Peace Works (AAPW) is not welcomed into OML 30 to deal with our communities as we are all ready to take over the GMoU as well as the community relations exercise of our communities.
“The leadership is competent and we are ready to deal with the company; Heritage Energy on issues bordering on community and GMoU affairs.
“We want to use this medium to appeal to the state government, the operators of these assets and NPDC to call whichever NGO they are intending to introduce to OML 30 to withdraw from the asset. Shoreline and AA Peace Works should to stay away with their consultant, otherwise, the communities will resist them,” he said.
Some of the community leaders, who spoke to journalists at the end of the meeting included the President-General of Oleh community, James Obeowe, President-General, Oguname community, Joseph Ibuje, President-General of Afiesere community, Victor Otumemene, corroborated the stance of the CDB, warning that attempt to sabotage the existing order of interaction between the company and communities would inevitably result in the shutdown of operations.
But in a swift reaction to the concerns raised by the communities, the General Manager of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, Celine Loader, said the company has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with its host communities.
She insisted that company has never violated the terms of the GMoU it signed with the host communities, adding that issues raised by the CDB and the communities would be investigated and addressed.
“Heritage Energy Operational Services (HEOSL), the operators of OML30, have in the last year of operations, nurtured and sustained peaceful and mutually beneficial relationships with all OML30 communities, working through the tenets of GMoU and its recognized governance the structure which is the Community Development Board (CDB), Ms. Loader said.
“There have been some unfortunate delays to the GMoU review process, but I cannot say that amounts to “our company shirking its responsibilities.
“I’m certain that any developments or allegations of vested interests working against the shared interests of the Joint Venture Partners and the communities would be investigated and addressed in the appropriate manner,” she assured.
