DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE DOOM’S DAY
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Hoscom has made several overtures to get our state government’s attention to at least dialogue with us on our quest to have an intervention agency to be established such as is being done in Delta, Edo, Imo, Abia and Ondo States. The establishment of BASOPADEC, Bayelsa State Oil Producing Area Development commission using at least 50 percent of the 13 percent derivation fund accruing from the federation account to the state the development of host communities is one of our major objectives. This is the case in at least five of the nine oil producing states.

The results are peace, stability, economic and social stimulant to the inactivity of the past. There is massive political awareness and full participation of once marginalized group in the society of these States.

The Bayelsa experience is pathetic in that there is no deliberate move by all tiers of government to ever meet with us. We have written to the governor several times, appointments when scheduled are later cancelled. The secretary to the state government, SSG avoids Hoscom like a plague. His office has cancelled appointments more than 5 times on flimsy excuses, whereas his counterpart during Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s regime as Governor, Dr. Bodei Igalli made it a point of duty to meet with us and even encouraged us but the reverse is the case of the incumbent. The commissioner for Energy who is supposed to be the person to handle our case cannot even make an appointment and he has never been in the office when contacted. All efforts to speak to government functionaries have proved to be abortive. Even to meet with S.A political to be registered as group to mobilize our members to welcome Mr. President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was thwarted. In fact, Hoscom is not welcome in the Government House and as such we are tired to push further though we will not relent. We will employ every available opportunity for dialogue.

The State House of Assembly has not helped either, we have attempted to get justice by sending a  private members bill to the House for the establishment of  BASOPADEC just like it was done by other states before those Governors change it for executive bill they got their commission.

Weanwhile there was an attempt by His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when he was Governor of Bayelsa State in 2007. He did mention it in his 2007 budget that a permanent commission was to be set up to cater for the host communities, that is, BASOPADEC.

We have copies of the budget in our possession. Since he did not fully complete his four year term actively, towards the end, he had to face the campaign to contest as vice president as running mate to Late President Alhaji Umaru Yar Adua. Host Community of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas is fully registered with the CAC and it comprises of nine oil and gas producing states of the Federation.

Our activities are peaceful and state government of five states heeded our demand and has complied by setting up commissions to cater for the oil and gas bearing host communities in their respective state as earlier mentioned.

The 13 percent derivation fund is our money. The payment is being made because of the host communities since the Supreme Court Judgment of 1999 that brought it to existence.

Successive government since Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha have refused to part with some of the funds or even use it to better the lives of Bayelsans, except for the President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who provided a whooping  N10,000,000,000, (N10 Billion) in that 2007 budget for immediate intervention, which was not implemented because of his departure to the federal presidency.

The 13 percent is our money and we are not asking for all but 50 per cent of the money to be utilized by BASOPADEC, whose board will be appointed by the state governor for a three year term to cater for short and long term developmental needs of our people.

Abject poverty looms in our host communities despite the contribution of this area to the GDP of Nigeria. The health delivery cannot cure minor ailment that is caused by exploitation of hydrocarbon in the oil and gas producing area of the state. Parents are not empowered to even cater for basic materials for their children and ward at school, women, youths and able bodied elders cannot be gainfully employed because no capital to start small businesses youths roam around and involve themselves in criminality. Those that have not been captured in post amnesty have entered into new trade of being sea pirates ravaging the creeks and waterways. Yet the government is not ready to address the plight of the host communities.

One may ask why the rush by the host communities to ensure that they belong to Hoscom. They come in their hundreds to register as members, for those who are privileged to come to Yenagoa who have information on our activities.

These are those who are law abiding and are desirous to make a change in their lives. Their parents died without seeing any benefits from the oil and now they seem not to get anything and as such thought they should at least belong to our association, believing that through this association someone may do something to alleviate their suffering as, they are law abiding.

We believe it is high time the Governor; His Excellency Chief Timipre Sylva should make categorical statement to the people of host communities so that they can be assured of his sympathy to their plight. Government should not wait until many more youths slip away to become pirates and commit other criminal acts before they begin to engage the police and others to quell the problems.

Hoscom is peace loving and by the oath we administer to the newly Hoscom constituted Excos, we advice them against criminality and to uphold the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They should sensitize their community’s leaders to desist from criminal acts that will affect the economy of the state and nation as a whole.
Hence, we provided them with ID Cards and obtain basic bio-date to make them belong.

But we as NGO are limited in resources as well as capacity to meet the yearnings of these youths, women and the elders. They want to belong they have lost faith in the government to give them their basic rights and have come to get respite through their affiliation with Hoscom.

We on our part have started to organize training programmes in computer, agriculture and security services, with a view that these will eventually gain employment. We are in contact with the oil companies to provide skilled and unskilled employees who have the requisite qualification and have good reference from their respective community and community heads to be of good characters etc.

We started organizing contractors and prospective ones who want to bid for jobs in the oil and gas industry working in Bayelsa State.

The implication is for more than 40 years, contracts that were due for Bayelsans were being awarded to contractors from the neigbouring state to the detriment of our people.

We have resolved to stop this by not only educating our contractors, but also ensuring that they are competitive with good profiles. We are organizing a women forum and that of youths to continue to look for ways to engage them in dialogue for gainful training in skills acquisition as may be provided by NDDC, Niger Delta Ministry, oil companies, etc.

We are limited in resources and capacity but some of us are resolved and committed to work for our fatherland so that future generations do not have to go through the deprivation that our generation experienced and continue to experience. Those in government (are) also from the host communities but are not ready to do anything to benefit them. They want re-election and are clamouring for their votes.

They will be disappointed unless they address this raging poverty of the host communities. People are not able to feed, children especially girl children are leaving the villages for prostitution. The boy children come to town and become pick pockets and armed robbers. Let there be a statement from His Excellency, Governor Timipre Sylva to inform the Host Communities of positive steps to address their plight before it is too late.

Together we shall overcome, because God Almighty is on our side and if God is for us who can be against us? We have chosen the part of peace and no matter the provocation, we must remain peaceful and use the rule of law and engage in dialogue to get respite. Governor Chief Timipre Sylva knows all we are talking about, as chief security officer of the State.

We want His Excellency to give us the enabling environment as an NGO and the exercise of the freedom and fundamental human rights of Bayelsans. The press must be commended for unbiased reporting of our stories. Security operatives including the police have given us the encouragement we need though they monitor us covertly without interference, and we have not let them down because we have always conducted ourselves in a peaceful manner.

We are doing all in our power to motivate, educate and to transform our people to be gainfully employed but we need government’s assistance to sustain the momentum otherwise, they look for alternative ways. We pray that it does not come to that and the governor; Chief Timipre Sylva whose community has also been registered will come to our aid to forestall any negative repercussion in the host communities.

Meanwhile, Hoscom will be hosting a membership orientation seminar tagged “Oil & Gas +Peace= Dividend”.
Venue: Gloryland Cultural Centre
Date: 16th November, 2010
Time: 10am prompt
Seminar fee- N500.00 only
Benefits
- Orientation package to members
- Certificate for all participants
- Refreshments
- Register now at the accreditation desk, Hoscom Office


CHIEF BOB NABENA
Chairman
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