– Akwa Ibom Women give Oil Firm 7-day Ultimatum to Implement MOU
The Oron Nation Oil and Environmental Committee (ONOEC), has decried the neglect of oil-bearing communities in five local government areas in Oron Federal Constituency by oil firms operating in the areas.
Chief Etim Antai, ONOEC Chairman, said the communities suffered from the negative effects of oil exploration but were excluded from the benefits accruing from the business by both the oil firms and the government.
Antai who made the observation in Oron in an interview with NAN on Sunday named the affected council areas as Oron, Mbo, Udung Uko, Okobo and Urueoffong/Oruko.
He said that although the areas had been neglected for decades, the recent public hearing on the issue by the House of Representatives had brought some hope to the communities.
“As one of the minorities in Akwa Ibom, we had suffered in silence until the emergence of our present federal lawmaker, Robinson Uwak, who took our case to the House of Representatives, which culminated to last week’s public hearing.
“We are very pleased at this development, especially as the legislators commended the communities for not taking laws into their hands but chose the civilised approach of seeking redress through the appropriate channels,” Antai said.
He expressed optimism that the two House of Representatives Committees that looked into the matter would make recommendations that would correct the imbalance and ensure that the communities were given the oil-bearing status they deserved.
The chairman urged the committees to be fair and firm in their reports and shun the temptation of bowing to pressures and lobbying by multi-national oil firms.
Antai noted that oil firms operating within Oron waters had exploited the disunity within the communities to deny them of development projects and other social obligations they ought to discharge to the people.
He disclosed that the crises among the communities had been resolved and pledged the commitment of ONOEC to the rapid transformation of Oron communities, assuring that the group would forge a good relationship with the multi-nationals.
Meanwhile an Akwa Ibom women’s group, Edo Women Council, has given an oil firm, Septa Energy Ltd, seven days ultimatum to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with host communities or face unpleasant times.
The group accused the company, which operates in Uquo Marginal Oil field in Esit Eket Local Government Area of refusing to fulfil its social obligations to the people of the area as contained in the MOU.
Mrs Grace Akpata, Secretary of the women’s group, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Esit Eket on Sunday.
She, however, declined comments on what further action the women would take if the firm failed to comply with the MOU at the expiration of the ultimatum.
Akpata disclosed that Esit Eket Community signed an agreement with Frontier Oil Ltd, operator of the oil field, which introduced Septa Energy as its partners in the development of gas reserves within its block.
She expressed regrets that “Septa has provocatively abdicated its social responsibilities to the community by refusing to provide amenities and other incentives to the people.
“It was agreed that Septa should operate under the MOU we had with Frontier Oil since they are working together, but Septa has never cared to do anything to develop our place.
“It is sad that most of us gave up our farmlands to pave way for the gas plant here with the hope that the oil firm will develop our community, provide jobs, scholarships to our children as earlier agreed but none of the promises has been kept”, she said.
She said that before the deadline given to Septra to comply with the MOU, women in the community had a peaceful demonstration, aimed at drawing attention to the situation.
Akpata said the group’s ultimatum to the oil firm began on Nov. 30, adding that it was expected that the company would do something within the period.
“But if the time runs out without any action, we shall take another step,” she warned.
The secretary recalled that the community enjoyed cordial relationship with Frontier Oil while its drilling activities for crude oil in the area lasted, but lamented that such relationship could not be said of Septa.
“Since Frontier did not find oil here, we had concern for them, because despite not finding oil, they did not renege on their social responsibilities. The company constructed the road to our village and gave us water.
“So, why can’t Septa continue from where Frontier stopped since they are working together?
“They (Septra) should either continue or enter into a fresh agreement with us if they are not comfortable with the understanding we had with Frontier,” she added.
Akpata said that women were compelled to seek an alternative platform for interface with oil companies as men often sidelined them in welfare matters.
She said widows and orphans in the community were excluded in community assistance programmes, stating that such attitude informed the agitation by the women.
Uquo Marginal Oil field was awarded to Frontier Oil Ltd, an indigenous oil firm, but the firm could not find crude oil in commercial quantity in the area.
The development prompted it to enter into a funding partnership with Septa Energy to develop gas reserves found in the field.