Communities in Kula Kingdom of Rivers State, hosts to the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25, have accused the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of frustrating efforts to resume production at the Belema Flow Station.
Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt, spokesman of the Kula Council of Chiefs, Chief Fiala Okoye-Davies, alleged that the SPDC reneged on the agreements and terms reached by parties before the reopening of the flow station in October 2019.
Okoye-Davies called on the federal government to intervene and prevail in the multinational oil company to conclude it’s part of the agreement for the resumption of production in the facility.
He said: “We are aware that the trio of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, the Shell Petroleum Development Company and Belemaoil Producing Limited have had several meetings in a bid to resolve the issues that resulted to the face-off between SPDC and its host communities.
“It is interesting to note that while our position regarding our confidence in the federal government to resolve the issues remain sacrosanct, we are minded to warn against various tactics and antics of SPDC to cause confusion and crisis again in our peaceful Kula Kingdom.
“We wish to make this clarion call on the federal government and security agencies to prevail in SPDC to desist from whatever alliance with some renegades of Kula Kingdom, and ensure a conclusion of the ongoing discussion with the federal government and Belemaoil on behalf of the communities for the re-entry of OML-25.
“We are today making this call to put these issues formally on and to thank His Excellency, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, for his anticipated understanding and cooperation.”
When contacted, SPDC spokesman, Bamidele Odugbesan, said the company would not want to respond to the allegation by the host communities.
