Indigenes of oil producing Ugborodo federated communities in Warri Southwest Council of Delta State have issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and all international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the area to adhere to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and give them Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT).
Failure to do the needful after the expiration of the ultimatum, the Ugborodo Community warned, will cause her to “take her destiny in her hands but within the ambit of the law.”
The communities comprising mainly Ode-Ugborodo, Ogidigben, Ajudaibo, Madangho and Ijaghala, among other adjoining communities, gave the warning over the weekend, during an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting held at the Ode-Ugborodo town hall.
They said the implementation of extant laws and regulations of the PIA must be followed by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), other ‘settlors’, as well as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The development may not be unconnected to the unveiling of three Host Communities Development Trusts, Iwereland (Itsekiri) included, by SPDC at the Shell Multipurpose Hall, Ogunu in Warri on July 27.
Among those present at the Ugborodo meeting were the Eghare-Aja of Ugborodoland and Chairman of Ugborodo Community Council of Elders, Eghare Daniel Uwawah; All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Ayiri Emami; member representing Warri Federal Constituency, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi; former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Projects Executive Director, Tuoyo Omatsuli, an engineer; the Igbajor of Ugborodo, Prince Perry Atete and Mr. Isaac Botosan.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, which was conducted in Itsekiri language, a community leader, Alex Eyengho, said the communities resolved, amongst others, to issue a 30-day ultimatum to Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), others settlors and NUPRC to give recognition to Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT) as the adopted trust by the people for the implementation of the PIA, adding that they should do the needful in the interest of peace, enabling environment, equity, justice and fair play.
He read out the resolution of the meeting, stating thus: “Ugborodo community remains steadfast on the insistence that the extant laws of the PIA and the accompanying regulations of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) must be followed religiously in the implementation of the PIA, particularly as it concerns the constitution of members of the Trustees, Management Committee and Advisory Committee.
“Ugborodo Community and the NUPRC are on the same page on the all-important issue of adherence to the relevant laws and regulations guiding the implementation of the PIA in all ramifications, and this much has been made known by the NUPRC to the ‘settlors’ (Chevron, Shell and other international oil companies, IOCs) operating in Ugborodoland.”
“The interventions of the Delta State Government in the lingering issue concerning the implementation of the PIA in Ugborodo community have been only to the extent of advocating for peace in the area and further advising the Ugborodo community to settle its internal problems.
“The Ugborodo community maintains its earlier position already in the public domain that it is not in any way whatsoever going against the Olu of Warri, the palace, and/or the other Itsekiri communities.
“All the Ugborodo community has said and still maintained until tomorrow is that the extant laws must be followed religiously in the implementation of the PIA, particularly in Ugborodoland.
“As host community, Ugborodo community is big enough to have its own separate HCDT without prejudice to other host communities in Itsekiriland who may want to be lumped together under one HCDT.
“To this end, and for the purposes of emphasis, the Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT), has since been adopted by the good people of Ugborodo community. This is our irreducible position on the issue of the implementation of PIA in Ugborodo community.
“Finally, we are using this opportunity to give Chevron, Shell and other ‘settlors’ operating in Ugborodo community, and the NUPRC a period of 30 days ultimatum from today, July 29, 2023, within which to follow the extant laws and regulations of the PIA by giving to Ugborodo community the Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT), in the overall interest of peace, enabling environment, equity, justice and fair play.
“After the expiration of this ultimatum, Ugborodo community shall take its destiny in its hands but within the ambit of the law”.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, an indigene of the community, emphasized that Ugborodo people were not against the Olu of Warri hence nobody should use politics of kingship to affect the implementation of the PIA.
“All Tank Farms have their PIAs. The Trust would be briefing the king; it is about the kingdom moving on a progressive path. Stakeholders, Community representatives, Chevron Nigeria Limited and government, will look at the needs assessment. IRDC (Itsekiri Regional Development Committee) wasn’t a law, it was Chevron Nigeria Limited’s policy.
“The Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere) will replace Ugborodo Community Trust. The Eghare-Aja has consulted widely, PIA is a law. We won’t say because of Igbene (internal dispute) we won’t inaugurate the trust (Ikpere Host Community Development Trust). We will settle the Igbene. You should back the Ikpere Host Community Development Trust, later we will fix Igbene. The law says three per cent of the operational cost, is for the host communities,” he said.
Noting that the PIA is law and “not palace issue,” Emami said the indigenes of Ugborodo remained resolute on their position of independence of Ugborodo in line with the provisions of the PIA, as told the Delta State Government.
Among those present at the Ugborodo meeting were the Eghare-Aja of Ugborodo land and Chairman of Ugborodo Community Council of Elders, Eghare Daniel Uwawah; All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Ayiri Emami; member representing Warri Federal Constituency, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi; former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Projects Executive Director, Winson Ejeh as well as the Ugborodo community woman leader identified simply as Oritsematosan, Tuoyo Omatsuli, an engineer; the Igbajor of Ugborodo, Prince Perry Atete and Mr. Isaac Botosan.
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