All Posts in "Niger Delta"

PIB: HOSTCOM Insists On 10 percent Equity

Host communities warn of looming breakdown of law, order in Niger Delta, reveal architects of violence - Daily Post Nigeria
Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas HOSTCOM has picked holes in  the 2.5 percent equity shareholding recommended for oil impacted communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill ,PIB.
It insisted that anything short of their initial demand for 10 percent would be  rejected and could be an invitation for renewed militancy in the Niger Delta.
High Chief (Dr) Benjamin Style Tamanarebi,the National President of HOSTCOM,  who disclosed  in Abuja regretted that the Federal Government is not interested in the passage of the bill because of lack of sincerity.
 He said the statement is an executive summary of the joint committee on PIB town hall meetings between the National Assembly and the Government of the States, stakeholders and Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas that took place from 1st to 5th March, 2021.
 He said the Niger Delta militants have been calm because of the high expectation that the HOSTCOM will secure the 10% equity in the PIB to at least atone for the monumental degradation of their environment.
According to him, it is in the interest of all stakeholders that the federal government stopped treating the Niger Delta with kids gloves as it may boomerang.
 In the executive summary that was jointly signed by the National President and chairmen of the nine State chapters of the HOSTCOM, they reiterated their position to stand by the On-shore Host Communities so defined as “Host and directly impacted Communities 50km radius of the Project site which includes pipelines”.
They want Part 111. Sections 3,4,5, which said, the Commission shall not undertake both commercial and regulatory activities at the same time and should not tamper with federation account funds such as the proposed 10% of rents on petroleum licences and petroleum mining leases which are usually in dollars to be expunged. They demanded that the Governing Board be expanded to accommodate each of the Producing States and HOSTCOM representatives.
 “The Governing Board of the Authority should also be expanded to accommodate each of the Producing States and HOSTCOM representatives”
“The Petroleum Producing States must be given rights to first refusal to acquire the shares since most of the assets NNPC Ltd manages are derived from Petroleum which is produced from the petroleum producing states”.
They also want section 68 subsection 3, sections 77(3); 78(2) etc, which provides for 1,500sq kilometres for any frontier acreage and limitless period for exploration to be expunged They demanded that Section 86 which deals with the Duration and Renewal of leases and licences to be for 5years minimum and 10years maximum.
They also want Section 257 which deals with penalty against the HOSTCOM for an act of vandalism, sabotage etc to be expunged as HOSTCOM is neither the Chief Executive Officer of their locality or the state nor government security agency.
 “We would also like to know about the position of Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and Petroleum Equalization Fund since they were very conspicuous in the previous bills. “All the amended interpretations should also be so stated in the bill.”
They demanded that the Headquarters of NNPC Limited, the Commission and Authority be located in the major producing oil and gas states to demonstrate government’s’s transparency and guarantee for sustainable development.
Online Editor by — April 12, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Group Demands Executive Order For Construction Of  Refineries

Refining Gap Archives - Africa's premier report on the oil, gas and energy landscape. - Africa's premier report on the oil, gas and energy landscape.
Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HostCom, has advocated the need   presidential Executive Orders for oil companies to build Refineries and Gas Processing Plants as indemnities to host communities and producing states yet to establish Oil Producing Areas Development Commissions to do so.
The group made the demand through its   national president, High Chief Benjamin Style Tamanarebi and state chairmen after a recent retreat.
It also proposed additional modifications and clarifications on the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which it wants the National Assembly to integrate.
On the first executive order and addendum, it stated: “We demand executive order as follows- Refineries and gas processing plants be built by operating companies as part of the social corporate responsibilities by the multinationals operating in the oil and gas producing states, and compensation to the producing communities which have suffered endless gas flaring and severe hazards of exploitation and negative exploratory impacts that have affected their environment, ecosystem, economy, cultural heritage and livelihood for over 60 years.” “The benefits are reduction of communal crisis, youth restiveness, incessant illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, high cost of petroleum products, and creation of employment, social advancement and sustainable development,” it said.
The statement added: “HostCom demands presidential executive order on the establishment of Oil Producing Areas Development Commission by producing states that are yet to establish it.” “Here again, the intervention of the Presidency through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs and the Minister of Finance and National Planning is required to integrate the artisanal/modular refinery operations. “It would reduce to barest minimum crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping and all manner of anti-social vices to create a favourable working environment as it would increase employment, create wealth and development in the region and above all, boost the country’s economy and increase the nations Gross Domestic Product”
Online Editor by — April 7, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
 Monarchs Demand Joint Investigation Into Gbaramatu Oil Spill

CHEVRON'S OIL SPILL: Affected Host Communities In Gbaramatu Vows To Resist Plans To Repair Trunkline Without Compensation - Coastal Times
The Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs have advocated the need  for an immediate joint investigation of all stakeholders into the oil spill which has ravaged many Gbaramatu Communities in Warri South West Area of Delta State alleged to be from Chevron Nigeria Limited.
The Kingdom made the call in Warri during a press briefing held by chiefs and communities leaders of the area.
 Chief Godspower Gbenekama, spokesman of Gbaramatu kingdom,who anchored the briefing said the development  became necessary  due to the denial by Chevron that the spill is not from its facility.
He said: “We wish to observe and state as follows; our investigations show an oil spill which has meandered through and beyond the creeks and rivulets of Gbaramatu kingdom owing largely to lack of immediate steps to curtail the spread. The locals have had to abandon their fishing expeditions,  even as they develop respiratory problems due to the smell of fumes of the spill.
“The oil spill which occurred about 6 weeks ago was promptly reported to Chevron Nigeria Limited believed to own the assets that produced the spill. The Company, Chevron, has been in denial till now. On Saturday,  March 27, 2021, the Company through its General Manager, Policy,  Government and Public Affairs,  Esimaje Brikinn, denied that the oil sheen on the waters are from its assets.
“We call for an immediate joint investigation team involving all stakeholders including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Chevron,  Delta State Government,  NOSDRA and relevant agencies to ascertain the cause of the spill and determine the owner-company of asset.
“We think that a unilateral aerial investigation reportedly conducted by Chevron is not reassuring as we know that assists passing through the site of spill are exclusively owned by Chevron Nigeria Limited.  We wonder how an alleged aerial investigation could establish any meaningful fact.
“As custodians of the welfare of our people, we hold and call on the FG, State government and oil companies operating in the area to rise up to the challenge of ameliorating the sufferings of the people, even before we ascertain blame.  The people are suffering. We call for relief materials to enable the local populace survive the economic displacement and conditions caused by the oil spill.” The statement said.
Online Editor by — March 30, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Niger Delta Can’t Be Forced Into Secessionist Group-UNDEDSS

FG has done nothing in Niger Delta–Tony Uranta – The Sun Nigeria
The United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS)says the oil rich region is not ready to  carry any secessionist identity now.
Tony Uranta,its Executive Secretary,who clarified this position in a communiqué at the end of a virtual meeting,  maintained that said no individual or group can coerce the Niger Delta region into Biafra, O’dua Republic or any other secessionist group within and outside the country.
According to him,only  Chief Edwin Clark-led Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) could  arrange  an extraordinary meeting to decide whether the region would support secession from Nigeria or be annexed by any section.
He added:“When necessary, the Niger Delta will be free to decide if it wants to continue to be part of Nigeria or not and the whole world will know of its decision either way.
“The attempt to steal the Niger Delta’s ancestral lands and waters through the National Water Resources Amendments Bill before the National Assembly must stop immediately or such action shall be seen as an act of war by Nigerian politicians, including Niger Delta lawmakers and politicians against the country and especially the Niger Delta region,” the communiqué reads.
He  also  demanded  immediate seizure to the looting of South-South resources, which it said, should begin with extermination of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources’ proposed N700b for the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
He added:“This is a bid to loot Niger Delta money, just as the past TAMs have been unmonitored conduits for wanton looting by different ministers of petroleum, individuals and organisations in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’’
Online Editor by — March 26, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Abe Urges Ogonis To Close Ranks, Support HYPREP

Ogoni cleanup: Sen. Abe hails Buhari, Minister over new HYPREP Board - The NEWS
Former representative of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe  has urged the Ogonis in the Niger Delta to close ranks and support the  Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP).
He also congratulated the Minister of Environment and Chairman Governing Council, Alhaji Muhammad Mahmood, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP), Dr. Mike Nwielaghi, and all members of the governing council and board of trustees on their  appointments.
Abe described the Minister of Environment as a true Nigerian patriot, and a friend of Ogoni with a heart of gold.
He said what is happening in HYPREP today is a clear testimony of what can happen in Nigeria when public officials elevate the good of the society above personal and other considerations.
According to him, by appointing a crop of competent Ogonis into the governing structures and elevating an Ogoni son to chair the Board of Trustees, the Minister of Environment has demonstrated that he has nothing to hide and no other motive than the success of the clean-up project.
Abe said: “It is now our responsibility as Ogoni people to downplay our differences, and give full support to this unique project.I urge the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), to put its house in order and immediately step up to claim its seat on the governing council without delay.
“History will hold us all in contempt if we fail to take advantage of this great opportunity secured for our people by the sacrifices of the Ogoni martyrs.
“I urge the Minister of Environment to consider competent and qualified Ogoni sons and daughters in the search for a Project Coordinator in other to improve and synergize with the community in the actual implementation of the project.”
Senator Abe commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the restructuring of HYPREP and  his commitment to the success of the Ogoni clean-up project.
“Mr. President has done well by responding to the public outcry over the slow and unsatisfactory pace of the clean-up exercise”.
Abe further said: “Our common commitment should be to ensure that at the end of the clean-up, Ogoni will be transformed environmentally and economically into a more prosperous and peaceful community.This will be a befitting legacy of the Ogoni struggle that we can proudly bequeath to future generations.
Online Editor by — March 17, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Group  To Buhari:Stop Paying N/D Govs. Derivation Funds

Ex-militants task Niger Delta governors on N44.68tr 13% derivation | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World NewsNigeria — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News
The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), a coalition of militants,has said that the 13 per cent derivation funds collected by Niger Delta governors since 1999  had accumulated  to N55trn
The group implored  President Muhammadu Buhari to  stop paying the 13 per cent derivation funds to the governors of the region.
It  advised that the 13 per cent derivation should be paid directly to the oil and gas-producing communities in the interest of peace since the previous ones collected by the governors did not impact positively on the host communities and the people.
These positions were captured  in a statement  by the RNDA’s Commanding Officer, ‘Major General’ Johnmark Ezon-Ebi, after the coalition rose from their emergency meeting allegedly convened in the creeks of the region.
The group maintained  that the governors of the oil-producing states had collected the said whopping amount of money apart from the internally generated revenues and monthly allocations from the Federation Account excluding Excess Crude monies,  Paris Club bailout funds and monthly security funds and other funds.
RNDA also claimed that Buhari released Paris Club bailout funds to the governors running into billions of naira but unfortunately, the debt profile of the oil producing states in the region amounted to over N1.25 trillion.
It said, “The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), coalition of militant groups that is agitating for the overall development of the Niger Delta region, most especially for the betterment of the oil and gas producing communities in the creeks, has challenged governors of the Niger Delta to give proper account of over N55 trillion they have collected so far from the Federation Account on 13 per cent derivation from 1999 to 2021.
“The amount is without the IGRs and monthly allocations from the Federation Account. From 1999 to 2018, according to financial records obtained by us, the Niger Delta oil-producing states have received over N44.68 trillion and from 2018 to 2021 they have collected over N50 trillion.
“Despite that Southsouth oil producing state governors are of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has never denied them of the 13 per cent derivation funds monthly.
“President Buhari also has never denied them even the Paris Club bailout funds. They were given to them in billions of naira for over two consecutive times and yet these Southsouth six oil producing states’ debt profile is huge and running into over N1.25 trillion.”
Online Editor by — March 12, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Niger Delta Youth Leaders Support  Reforms In Amnesty Programme

Niger Delta Monarchs pledge support for new amnesty boss
Youth leaders from the Niger Delta region have supported  the ongoing reforms in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) under the Interim Administrator, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd).
The leaders in a letter addressed to Dikio,expressed satisfaction  that he resisted the pressure to pay desperate and evil contractors for unverified projects.
The letter, which was signed on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by their Coordinator and former Spokesman, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Jeremaiah Owoupele, said Dikio endeared himself to stakeholders in the Niger Delta when he took his time to tour the region and engage critical owners of the programme.
Addressing Dikio in the letter, Owoupele said: “Your strength of character really manifested when you remained unyielding when urged to pay contractors who did imaginary jobs and whose stock in trade is to find willing allies in defrauding our people and depriving them the opportunity of getting the benefits of our hard-earned struggle.
“This has further struck a chord amongst the vast majority of our people, particularly leaders across the length and breadth of our beloved Ijaw nation who have championed several crusades to ensure that officeholders retain a character that is people-oriented.
“I am equally briefed on your decision to break from the norm and re-strategize on your running of the office, with the aim of maximizing and achieving optimal results befitting the office and its mandate. I believe I speak on behalf of many of our kith and kin when I say that this decision has troubled the waters and has left many concerned. However, our support and prayers are with you my honourable sir.
He told Dikio that they were aware of plans by profiteers of anti-people’s policies in the region to frustrate his plans and continued with their business as usual, but urged him not to compromise his ideals”.
Online Editor by — March 10, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
FG  Insincere On Bonny Deep Seaport-Wike on project’s delivery —

Bonny Deep Seaport: FG not sincere on project's delivery — Wike

Governor  Nyesom Wike says Federal Government (FG) was never willing to executive the Bonny Deep Sea Port it conceived for Rivers state and was only deceiving the people from the outset.

Wike expressed the feeling Monday at the inauguration of Rumuji -Ibaa-Obelle-Isiopko Road in Rivers state performed by former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido who also bashed the All Progressives Congress (APC) as ruling without vision and feeling for the people.

 

Wike declared, “Let them (FG) tell us what they had done for Rivers state. I hear they want to flag off railways narrow gauge from here (Rivers) to Maiduguri. Is that what we need? “They want to do Bonny Deep Sea Port, for how many years now? Before the drawings will come out, has the government not gone? In their hearts, they know they’ll not do it. They only have this year, next year is a political year. “We cannot be deceived any longer. PDP is a party that Nigerians and Rivers people have seen that have the zeal, and commitment to save Nigerians.”

 

“Those from Isiopko, Obele, Ibaa and Rumuji, will look back and reflect on how this road was. Do not forget it easily.Today, all of us can come back home. All of us can go to the market. We can all drive freely; those from Isiopko can pass through and go to Emohua. Those from Rumuji and all of you can pass through and go to the airport.

“This is what development is all about. Development is not about giving you money. It is all about making the environment conducive for economic activities to thrive. “There is no way the government can share money with everybody. But it has a duty to make the environment conducive for you to work and find food to eat.”

Online Editor by — March 9, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
Don’t Frustrate NDDC Board,Group Tells Akpabio 

Don't intimidate Akpabio, NDDC, Group tells lawmakers - Vanguard News
The Urohobo Isoko Alliance for Niger Delta Advancement (UIANDA) has warned  the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, against frustrating the component  of substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
In a statement by Patriot Oghenerome Justice, the group also alleged that Akpabio was using the NDDC to foster his hidden agenda of running for Vice President or President in 2023
He warned the minister not to send any new nomination list of NDDC board members to the President Muhammadu Buhari under any guise, alleging that his choice of managing director in the NDDC was only to feather his political nest.
Commending  the federal government’s role in sanitising the NDDC, he said: “We must work together to instil constitutional sailing of the commission by constituting the board and making public the forensic audit findings.
“We are warning Akpabio not to send any new nomination list of NDDC board members to President Muhammadu Buhari under any excuse as his choice of Managing Director in the commission is purely for his presidential ambition/campaigns.
“We want to urge you, Mr. President, to reject any fresh board members’ nomination from Akpabio after his disobedience to your directive on board inauguration. Rather we recommend you boot him out of ministerial task if you love development.”
He also  implored members of the National Assembly to stop patronising Akpabio and ask him why the youth and people of the region were clamouring for his removal.
“We will resist his prolonged stay in office as minister through violence if something is not done quickly. We have made up our minds to take back NDDC as it is the most formidable agency for youths’ transformation in the Niger Delta. It’s a ‘destiny war’ for the youth,”Justice added.
Online Editor by — March 8, 2021 in Niger Delta 0