Akwa Ibom govt tasks oil firms on community development, renews MoU

Worried by the shortfall in federation account’s allocation to the state, the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has charged oil firms operating in the state to effectively implement their obligations to the host communities.

To this end, the government has inaugurated a technical committee with a charge to review the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving two oil firms.

The committee is expected to tinker the relevant provisions of the Uquo field operated by Frontier Oil Limited/Savannah Energy in Eket and Esit Eket host communities.

Commissioner for Power and Petroleum Development, Dr John James Etim, who performed the inauguration, explained that the event was the outcome of the decision reached at the February 22 stakeholders’ meeting.

Etim charged members of the committee to “ensure a thorough work by considering the document, clause-by-clause.

“You must consider the document clause by clause and adhere strictly to the critical components of the state’s standardised template on MoU,” he said.

This, according to him, would lead to a workable agreement that is expected to enhance the existing cordial relationship between host communities and the companies.

The commissioner, therefore, encouraged them to be committed in the review process, even as he urged the companies to ensure that they provide all necessary logistics that would aid the early completion of the assignment.

While congratulating the committee members on their nominations, Etim expressed optimism that the document would be made ready for ratification by stakeholders and signed before the expiration of the current MoU in July.

Frontier Oil Limited and Savannah Energy are into a joint venture partnership, with their marginal fields in Esit Eket and Eket local government areas.

Therefore, while Frontier Oil Limited is into crude oil exploration, Savannah Energy deals with the gas component.

The 16-man Technical Committee comprised two representatives of the state government; two from Frontier Oil Limited/Savannah Energy; seven from Esit Eket and five from Eket.

OULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded 624 New Infections Last Week, Lowest In Over Five Months

Last week, Nigeria recorded 624 new COVID-19 infections which is the lowest the country recorded in five months, Tribune Online analysis shows.

The 624 new cases reported between March 28 and April 3 is a reduction from the 849 recorded the previous week…

Inside Ibadan Bound Train From Lagos

The train started the 156.65 kilometres journey to Lagos at exactly 08:00hrs. The pace of its acceleration was minimal.

At about 25 minutes, the train slowed down at the uncompleted Omi-Adio terminal, a village on the Abeokuta/Ibadan expressway; it’s a stone throw from Apata in Ibadan. Conveyance of passengers from there and other terminals has not kickstarted as the terminals are still under construction and workers were found there…BREAKING: Buhari appoints DIG Alkali Baba as acting IGP

Killer Herdsmen: Untold Story Of Ibarapa’s Worst Nightmare + VIDEOS

“Please do not talk to my father. He is yet to come to terms with the death of his son. It is a most tragic experience. How does one quantify the loss of a dear brother? My brother was killed like an animal by two herdsmen. His offence was that he asked them to drive their cows off his already cultivated farmland,” Bisi Olaosepin, whose brother was hacked to death, struggled to hold back his tears as he relayed to Sunday Tribune the horrible experience that culminated in the passage of his brother…BREAKING: Buhari appoints DIG Alkali Baba as acting IGP