PIA: Ugborodo gives IOCs, NUPRC30 days to recognise IHCDT

The Ugborodo Federated Communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State has given the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and all International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in its domain 30 days ultimatum to give recognition to Ekpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere-HCDT) as the adopted trust by the people for the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIA).

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.”

Addressing journalists on the resolutions after the well-attended general meeting of people of the Ugborodo Community at the Ode-Ugborodo town hall on Saturday, one of the leaders, Mr Alex Eyengho, reiterated that Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), others settlors and NUPRC should do the needful in the interest of peace, enabling environment, equity, justice and fair play.

“After a robust and extensive General Meeting of the Ugborodo Federated Communities comprising mainly of Ode-Ugborodo, Ogidigben, Ajudaibo, Madangho and Ijaghala, among other adjoining communities, held at Ikpere Hall in Ode-Ugborodo, headquarters of Ugborodo federated communities otherwise know as Ugborodo Community, the people resolved as follows:

“On the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), it was unanimously reaffirmed that the earlier chosen name of Ikpere Host Community Development Trust (Ikpere HCDT), remains the name the adopted name by Ugborodo Community for the implementation of the PIA.

“That 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.

“That 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 the Ugborodo Community have been only to the extent of advocating for peace in the area and further advising the Ugborodo Community to settle her internal problems.

“The Ugborodo Community maintains her 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 a 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 the Ugborodo Community,” the Nollywood movie producer, who debunked any beef with the palace of the Olu of Warri or the Itsekiri people, noted.

Other leaders of the Ugborodo community at the meeting, who buttressed Eyengho’s submissions, included a member of the House of Representatives, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Chief Ayirimi Emami, Eghare-Aja of Ugborodo Federated Communities, Eghare-Daniel Uwawah, Mr Isaac Botosan, Engr Tuoyo Omatsuli and a Ugborodo youth leader, Wilson Ejeh as well as representatives of the communities that make up Ugborodo.

Mr Botosan, who said several letters had been forwarded to the appropriate quarters as regards Ikpere-HCDT, accused IOCs, especially SPDC of playing hide and seek, adding CNL has also reneged on its promise of meeting with the community leaders for about two months.

“We’ve written several letters, the last meeting we held with Chevron and the regulators, they promised to come back to us in two weeks, but it is almost two months now.

“We are still going to endure but this ultimatum will start to count from today. Whatever we will do as my brother said, we will carry out all our actions within the law; we will not take the law into our hands,” he pledged.

Meanwhile, Ugborodo youth leader, Wilson Ejeh, while fielding questions from journalists, warned that the 30 days ultimatum given to IOCs and NUPRC, which began to count on July 29, remains sacrosanct.

It will be recalled that the Ugborodo Federated Communities had, in June 2023, announced the adoption of
Ekpere Host Community Development Trust is its own Trust different from other Trusts in other parts of Itsekiri land for the implementation of the PIA which the Advisory Committee is community-based.

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• We borrow guns for operation from woman selling paraga —Highway robbery suspects

• Experts warn petrol price could hit N1000 per litre

• #BBNaijaAllStars: Mercy Eke wins immunity as Adekunle emerges first HOH

• Gory details of Ore petrol tanker explosion: How pregnant woman, three children were caught in inferno

• FLATOUT: Mass burial and the king who wants to live forever

• EDITORIAL: The debt servicing conundrum