The timely intervention of the Executive Chairman of Warri North Local Government Council, Hon. Smart Asekutu and the Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Mr Emmanuel Amgbaduba has led to the resolution of the dispute between Conoil Producing Company Plc and Host Communities in the Egbema Kingdom.
Speaking with our correspondent in Sapele on Tuesday, August 30, the Warri North Council Chairman, Hon. Asekutu said that the dispute between Conoil Producing Company Plc and some Host Communities in the Egbema Kingdom in Warri North Local Government Area of the State which led to the barricade of an oil rig has been resolved.
The Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Mr Emmanuel Amgbaduba who spoke to our correspondent on phone, also confirmed that the “issue has been resolved”, adding that “We (Delta State) is not in dispute with anybody”.
It would be recalled that there was palpable tension in Warri North LGA when an oil rig owned by Conoil Producing Company Plc sailed into the Egbema Area Waterway on its way to a location where it was expected to commence drilling operation without any prior discussion and negotiation with the host communities.
The communities mobilised and seized the oil rig from reaching its location, stressing that they expected the company to open a discussion with them especially because the company engaged by Conoil to carry out the clearance and preparation of the rig site damaged buildings and the source of living of the communities without compensation.
While fielding questions from our correspondent in an exclusive interview, Asekutu, confirmed that a meeting was convened by the Commissioner of Oil and Gas, Asaba with representatives of Conoil, the Host Communities, and the Council Chairman in attendance, adding that the matter was resolved and the communities asked to release the oil rig to go.
He also disclosed that the location of the drilling operation was not in dispute as the map of the area indicated that it was part and parcel of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Asekutu however added that it was resolved that the management of Conoil opened a discussion with the Host Communities to make way for a peaceful operation in its location.
The Council Chairman also reiterated the importance of consulting with the Local Government Council as a first port of call, adding that it is the primary duty of the Council to ensure the protection of lives and property in the area.
“First of all, there was an issue that was reported that the Egbema people stopped a rig on a movement to their location owned by Conoil Producing Plc for their operation and the rig was stopped by the communities along the waterway.
“Their complaint was that the Conoil people have not come to see them to discuss the impact assessment caused by the company which did the clearance and preparation of the site for Conoil in the first place.
“According to them, the company caused a lot of damage to their buildings and their sources of livelihood. So, they expected that Conoil would come and discuss with them. But Conoil never did that, only for them to see a rig coming into the area to commence operation. So, they stopped them.
“Somehow, this was reported to me and I immediately swung into action. I had to contact the Commissioner for Oil and Gas. It is noteworthy that the primary assignment of the Local Government Council is to ensure peace in the Council Area, for any company like Conoil coming into the area to carry out their businesses and also, to protect the lives and property of our people.
“For a company like Conoil, they ought to know what to do before carrying out their business. They ought to interface with the Communities to build confidence so that they can carry out their business in a peaceful environment.
“It is my interest that the rig should be allowed to access its location. So, I made a frantic effort to reach out to some people whom I think have the influence to talk to the people to release the rig.
“When I called the Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Mr Emmanuel Amgbaduba, I told him that there is the need for us to work in synergy because we are all working to ensure that the governor succeeds. Thereafter, the Commissioner sent a letter to me to come to Asaba where we met with representatives of Conoil and the communities.
“In the meeting, representatives of the communities presented documents that showed that the place belong to the Egbema people of Delta State and not part of Ondo State as Conoil believed. It was learnt that the company refused to open discussion with the communities because they believed the location of the rig was in Ondo State.
“So, in that meeting, with the maps presented, and it was established that the place belongs to Delta State and so, we agreed that the company should to go and open discussion with the Communities so that they can have the environment to do what they want to do peacefully”, the chairman said.
On the importance of consulting with the Council as the first port of call on primary matters, Asekutu said:
“I want to use this medium to put on notice that it is the responsibility of the Warri North Council Area to deal with primary issues and that the companies should be able to know this.
“We have security agencies such as the military, the police, the DSS and the Civil Defence in the area. The government made these formations available to the Council to deal with issues of violence and criminality. So, the companies cannot go direct to engage the army to threaten and arrest members of the communities who embark on genuine agitations. This has to stop.
“Meanwhile, as I speak to you, the communities have released the rig to move to its place of operation”, the chairman said.
