THE House of Representatives has been flayed for rejecting a proposal seeking the relocation of the operational and administrative offices of oil companies to the Niger Delta region, by the leadership of rights groups from the area.

The bodies, comprising the Niger Delta Security Watch Organisation of Nigeria (NDSWO), Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative (IPDI) and Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (FHRACC), stated that a motion of such nature coming at a critical time ought to have been appreciated by all and sundry, insisting that if Nigeria must continue to protect her unity, then everyone must be his biblical brother’s keeper.

Expressing dismay at the cold treatment given to the motion sponsored by Goodluck Opiah, the civil society organisations described the action as unpatriotic and provocative.

They contended that the people of the area have suffered untold environmental pollution and degradation over the years due to oil exploration while the northern and western regions enjoyed the accruing benefits that come with the exploitation of the resources.

They specifically condemned the position of Speaker Yakubu Dogara when he said he could not be forced to site a business in an unsafe environment, describing it as demeaning and an insult to a region which feeds the nation.


In a joint statement by the representatives of the civil society groups namely Dickson Bekederemo; Comrade Austin Ozobo and Alaowei Ebikonbowei Cleric, they wondered where came the issue of insecurity when the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director (GMD), Maikanti Baru had already told State House correspondents in Abuja that daily oil production has hit two million barrels.

“How did the NNPC achieve these figures? Can it be achieved in an unsafe and unfriendly environment as alleged by the speaker? People should not be driven by their personal interests or ambitions to instigate another round of avoidable crisis in the region. We have not recovered from the bloody oil war that is gradually given way to peace as a result of the Buhari government’s timely intervention,” the groups said.

Meanwhile, Governor Seriake Dickson labelled those opposed to the relocation as enemies of peace and stability of the region. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworison-Markson, quoted the governor as saying this at a special dinner organised by the state government on the sideline of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, United States.

The well-attended event, was tagged “Bayelsa/Oloibiri Roundtable”. Dickson further espoused the vision of his administration to drive investment and support the growth of the state’s economy through active engagement of the private sector.


Reiterating the establishment of three modular refineries in each of the state’s senatorial zones, he assured the citizens that the board and management of the Bayelsa Petrochemical and Refinery Company would be constituted upon his return from abroad.

Also yesterday, the Senate passed the bill for the establishment of Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Warri South-West Local South of Delta State. The development comes three years after its foundation-laying ceremony by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The bill was sponsored by James Manager (PDP– Delta South). According to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, physical assets were on site.

The legislation was passed following the report of the Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND chaired by Barau Jibrin, (APC-Kano). The upper chamber of the National Assembly had referred the bill for consideration in November 2016 when it scaled through second reading.

Manager had argued that the huge potential of the maritime sector necessitates a specialised higher institution for the purposes of producing capable manpower for the industry which, according to him, is currently dominated by foreign interests.

wirinet:
You want the Oil Companies to relocate to a region where their staffs are likely to be Kidnapped for ransom, their infrastructures are likely to be bombs and Youths always extorting money from them at will?

A business concerns makes decisions based on Security, Profit and ease of doing business. Provide a secure environment and the companies will fall over themselves to relocate.

rafindo:
I thank this dishonourable members for doing the right thing for once.sentiment apart business are sited where safety is guaranteed and ease of doing business is okay.as far I am concerned the Niger delta is one of the top place in the world where ease of doing business is extinct. With marching ground ideology, aimless so called lazy youth leader that destroy your property for not compensating the boys.pls don't give me that Houston rubbish of having the hqtr of major oil coys.if your are sincere the government provide the necessary and tax rebate for oil coys.Nigeria is the only country where the community shout our oil as if all lands do not belong to the Fgn

Ajibel:
I don't get the idea of forcing companies to site their HQs at a particular region. I dont know the right anyone has to do such!

dadavivo:
then they should remove all their pipelines from the unsafe region and take it to where their headquarters is that is safe. APC government think they are wise, they're just buying time for the bigger fight that will soon start in the Creeks

KINGOFTHEEAST:
when the boys enter creek ,you ll understand the right

Agumbankembu:
All those hype by Osibanjo was all ruse. Forget.

rafindo:
I thank this dishonourable members for doing the right thing for once.sentiment apart business are sited where safety is guaranteed and ease of doing business is okay.as far I am concerned the Niger delta is one of the top place in the world where ease of doing business is extinct. With marching ground ideology, aimless so called lazy youth leader that destroy your property for not compensating the boys.pls don't give me that Houston rubbish of having the hqtr of major oil coys.if your are sincere the government provide the necessary and tax rebate for oil coys.Nigeria is the only country where the community shout our oil as if all lands do not belong to the Fgn

tutudesz:
Niger Delta house of reps members need serious beaten,what rubbish are doing in the house that they couldn't not lobby other rep members to support this bill.

The motion entitled: “Calling oil companies to establish operational/administrative offices in the Niger Delta area where they engage in exploration and exploitation” was sponsored by Goodluck Opiah (PDP, Imo).
n the motion, Opiah had prayed the House to mandate its Committee on Petroleum Resources to liaise with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Ministries of Niger Delta Affairs and Petroleum Resources to review policies and guidelines of oil companies regarding location of their administrative and operational offices.

The legislator stated that there was need for all the oil companies to open offices in the communities where they are engaged in exploration.

He contended that the practice of the companies siting their offices outside their areas of operation is responsible for decisions that are “inconsiderate of the real effects of their exploratory and exploitative activities in those communities, such as pollution, environmental hazards, degradation and under development.”

According to him, “this policy is depriving the indigenes of those communities access to the companies in the event of complaints on their operational activities and is also not making the oil companies to be truly alive to their corporate social responsibilities to those communities.”

Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), while supporting the motion, dismissed the argument that the Niger Delta was insecure hence the relocation of oil companies to other states outside the region as untenable.

As the the Majority Leader spoke, he was intermittently interrupted by the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta) with several points of order.

The Minority Leader later argued that it is not good for the offices of the oil companies to be sited outside the Niger Delta where they do business.

Ogor said: “I find it totally unacceptable that the Majority Leader is standing in this chamber and saying we do not have the right to tell these companies to relocate operational offices to the Niger Delta. These companies pay taxes to other states while they operate in the Niger Delta.”

Ajibel:


So where you come from, violence is the only language you understand?

rafindo:
I thank this dishonourable members for doing the right thing for once.sentiment apart business are sited where safety is guaranteed and ease of doing business is okay.as far I am concerned the Niger delta is one of the top place in the world where ease of doing business is extinct. With marching ground ideology, aimless so called lazy youth leader that destroy your property for not compensating the boys.pls don't give me that Houston rubbish of having the hqtr of major oil coys.if your are sincere the government provide the necessary and tax rebate for oil coys.Nigeria is the only country where the community shout our oil as if all lands do not belong to the Fgn

wirinet:
You want the Oil Companies to relocate to a region where their staffs are likely to be Kidnapped for ransom, their infrastructures are likely to be bombs and Youths always extorting money from them at will?

A business concerns makes decisions based on Security, Profit and ease of doing business. Provide a secure environment and the companies will fall over themselves to relocate.