The Ogoni Community landlords under the auspices of Local Indigenous Community Contractors in Ogoniland have rejected the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) Global Memorandum of Understanding to replace the already established Pipeline Surveillance Contractors that has been in place over the years.
In a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Mr. Raphael Barigbon, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Oilfield Landlord Contractors Association, told oil and gas correspondent that the shell GMoU does not affect the existing pipeline surveillance contract in other communities like Ikwerre, Kalabari, Bayelsa & Delta where the surveillance contract goes together with the GMoU model. The initiative, which is currently running in over five states in the Niger Delta, involves the use of community contractors who in turn employ community surveillance guards to watch over SPDC joint venture oil gas facilities and where necessary, alert the company and law enforcement agencies to threats of sabotage, crude thefts, spills and illegal Refineries. Pastor Bebe, expressed annoyance why should Ogoni case be different from other areas He accused shell of creating crisis in Ogoni land using divide and rule system.
The association chairman said that the surveillance contractor is assisting in securing, protecting wellhead, manifold and pipeline in Ogoni land.
He also alleged SPDC for causing crisis in Ogoni communities by using the new GMoU agreements with Community Development Boards (CDBs) in Eleme, Tai, GOKANA 1 and II against the existing pipeline surveillance contractors agreement to secure sections of the 24-inch and 28-inch trans Niger pipeline in Ogoniland.
That the PRO lamented the insult SPDC brought to the traditional rulers, adding that they cannot tell Oba or Emir to secure their pipeline for them. ###
