The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has expressed disgust over refusal of international oil companies (IOCs) to relocate their corporate headquarters to Niger Delta.
He expressed his grievance at the second edition of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Research and Development Fair and Conference in Yenagoa ,
where he implored Federal Government to prevail on the IOCs to comply with the directive without further delay.
He wondered why the companies turned deaf ears to the directive almost four years the Federal Government issued same.
He expressed that the people of oil-producing states feel cheated that the oil companies deprive them of their benefits by paying taxes to states where they have their headquarters.
According to him, the IOCs had no reason not to relocate to Bayelsa given the prevailing enabling environment in terms of security and improved means of transportation, especially the commencement of flight operations at the Bayelsa International Airport.
He added:”Bayelsa State government still feel very short-changed in terms of what we are getting from the oil and gas industry, despite the efforts we are making to ensure peace and tranquility in the industry.
“We believe that the relocation of the IOCs to Bayelsa State should not be further delayed. This is a pronouncement by the Vice-President of our country, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo some three or four years ago. So we believe the time for its manifestation has become very necessary.
“We strongly feel it is unfair for the IOCs to carry out their operations in Bayelsa, yet the PAYE income tax is collected in Lagos. That is a case of somebody eating the beans and asking another person to have diarrhea”.
734400cookie-checkIOCs’ Failure To Relocate Headquarters To Niger Delta Unfair-Diri
