Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, renowned for its oil wealth, has issued a stern warning to Chevron regarding its Utonana oil field.
The community demands the inauguration of the “Kokodiagbene Utonana Field PIA Host Community Development Trust (HCDT)” within twenty-one days, threatening to shut down operations otherwise.
In a statement signed The statement signed by the community’s Chairman Comrade Pedro Bekenawei, Secretary General , Mr. Francis Ayeku, Chief Elder Paul Ukuli, Elder Amos Uttoh
Amadiwei , Elders Council Chairman, Warri, Elder Ari S Ari, Opinion leader, Madam Ebierede Timiyan , Woman Leader and Comrade Blessing Laide Youth President, the community expressed dissatisfaction over Chevron’s delay in addressing their demands.
They emphasized their community’s readiness to take decisive action if their ultimatum is ignored, highlighting their withdrawal from Chevron’s Gbaramatu PIA HCDT arrangement due to perceived marginalization and imbalance in benefit distribution.
“We, the executives and members of Kokodiagbene and its bloc of communities write to vehemently issue a 21-day ultimatum to Chevron Nigeria Ltd to constitute and inaugurate Kokodiagbene Utonana Field PIA Host Community Development Trust (HCDT).
“This demand and Ultimatum become necessary with reference to our previous letter dated 29th of January, 2024 which notified Chevron Nigeria Ltd of our community’s pullout from the Chevron Nigeria Ltd Gbaramatu PIA HCDT arrangement on grounds of marginalization and imbalance in sharing of the BOT membership and proceeds to our community and its bloc of communities without recourse to the grand norms of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which was taken by CNL with levity, hence, did not receive the needed attention from Chevron Nigeria Ltd until this ultimatum.
“In the light of the foregoing, we want to unequivocally state that our community and its bloc of communities will not hesitate to shut down Chevron Nigeria Ltd Utonana Field operations at the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum until the our Field PIA HCDT is duly inaugurated,” the statement concluded.
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