Rumblings over delay in relocation of IOCs headquarters to Niger Delta

Anger is gradually brewing over the refusal by international oil companies to honour the directive by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, that they should relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region.

Worried by this seeming development, a Niger Delta environmental activist, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, frowned at the delay by the multinational oil companies to relocate to their host states in the region.

Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, had, during his visit to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in continuation of Federal Government’s peace overture to Niger Deltans, ordered oil firms to relocate their headquarters to host states.

He, on this occasion, had mandated the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, to ensure that the oil firms complied with the directive.

With some months down the line now with no respite, Comrade Mulade wondered why the multinational oil companies have yet to conform to the order and wondered why it was taking the oil companies a long time to obey the directive of the Federal Government.

According to the environmentalist, people of the oil rich Niger Delta Region were being short-changed by the multinational oil companies.

He insisted that they must be made to relocate to their host states in order to put them on check.

“It is amazing to us that it is only in Nigeria that multinational oil companies’ headquarters are situated outside their operations area.

In the United States of America, Chevron headquarters are within its operations area and therefore, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo must do the needful to mount pressure on these companies to relocate to their host states with immediate effect”.

Mulade, is also the chairman of oil rich Kokodiagbene community in Gbararmatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, “Let the Acting President back his words with action. This is one directive that must not be swept under the carpet. The Federal Government must do everything possible to enforce this directive that was hailed by the people of the region when it was given. We want that directive to be enforced immediately.”