Delta LG Chairman Settles Rift Between Firm, Communities

The chairman of Warri North local government area, Hon Festus Ashima, has warned individuals and groups not to take the laws into their hands by stopping the operation of any multinational company in the locality.

He gave the caution on Thursday when he hosted an enlarged meeting in Koko, headquarters of the local government, with representatives of the multinational oil company, Enerog Energy Ltd and community leaders of Ogbudugbudu and Abadigbene where the company had been prevented from operating due to alleged mutual distrust.

While ordering the immediate commencement of operations by the company after months of meeting, he described such action as anti-development stressing that no individual’s interest can override public interest.

Ashima, who has been meditating in the lingering crisis between the company and the Ogbudugbudu and Abadigbene communities, provided a template of operations which both the company and members of the warring communities adopted as their guidelines of operations.

The council chairman cautioned against the recurrence of similar circumstances, noting that all interests can be accommodated without inciting conflict or issuing unwarranted threats and misleading statements.