Polobubo community of Egbema kingdom in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, has reaffirmed their threat to shutdown Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) operations in the area.
Tsekelewu community who is a host community to the Opuama Flow Station within the Oil Mining Lease – OML 40, operated by NPDC asserted that the issues that made them to address the press conference have not been attended to, noting that NPDC has refused to dialogue.
They said nobody should blame Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community if NPDC/El-crest JV operations be disrupted or halted.
This was made known in statement issued on Wednesday and signed by Dr. Bright Abulu, President-General, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community, Rev. Clement Doyah Tiemo (JP), General Secretary and Mr. Christmas Ukugha, PRO.
The statement reads: “Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community Ultimatum to NPDC/El-Crest JV Management Subsists
“Recall that refusal of management of NPDC/El-crest for peaceful resolution of the issue of the negative impact of past and ongoing dredging activities on Tsekelewu community and waterways prompted Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community’s national executive council to address a press conference and to issue a seven-day ultimatum to NPDC/El-Crest on January 19, 2022, which expires on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.
“We want to inform the management of NPDC/El-crest/JV management and the Delta State Government, the Federal Government and the international community that the issues that made us to address the press conference have not been attended to because NPDC has refused to dialogue.
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“That nobody should blame Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community if NPDC/El-crest JV operations be disrupted or halted.
“Tsekelewu is a peaceful community hence this request for the government intervention as presented at the press conference, in order to avoid pending shutdown of NPDC/El-crest operations, which NPDC/Elcrest JV management’s refusal for dialogue could precipitate or cause. A stitch in time saves nine,” the statement added.
Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community had earlier threatened to shutdown Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) operations in the area.
GbaramatuVoice gathered that the threat came following the negative impact of the dredging of the main waterways on mobility and economic activities of the community.
However, in a communique issued at the end of a press conference in Warri, jointly signed by the President-General, Tsekelewu community, Engr. Bright Abulu, Revd. TD. Clement (JP), General Secretary, and Mr. Christmas Ukugha, Public Relation Officer, National Executive Council-Host Community to Opuama Flow-Station, it stated that, due to NPDC past and current dredging and oil & gas operations in the Opuama flow station and Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community axis and the refusal of the company to honor several invitations for a meeting with the community leadership on how to address the hazardous effects of its dredging and sweeping operations on the access waterways to Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community.
The communique reads: “It should be recalled that the leadership of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community National Executive Council (Host Community to Opuama Flow-Station) on the 9th of December, 2021 wrote to NPDC management requesting for a meeting to proffer solution on the negative impact of past and ongoing dredging activities on Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community and other sundry issues relating to its operations. This letter was acknowledged by the NPDC Managing Director’s office. However, no response came from the company and no reason was given.
“A reminder letter was written on December 24, 2021 and was acknowledged by same office on December 31, 2021, but again there was no response. A third letter was sent on January 5, 2022 and acknowledged on the 7th, in which the national security agencies and the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, were copied, calling for a meeting to hold on January 10, 2022.
“Regrettably, as we speak, there has been no response from the company. NPDC/Elcrest have refused/failed to honor Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community invitations to a meeting intended to proffer solutions to the negative impact of the dredging of the main waterways on mobility and economic activities of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community. Yet the dredging project is going on unabated to the extent that an oil well drilling rig has been moved into our territory to carry out extensive drilling operations.
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