The country’s largest oil-producing
company, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has been given a
30-day ultimatum by the Nembe community in Brass Local Government Area of
Bayelsa State to shut down its operations for failing to abide by the terms of
General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) they reached since last year.
The ultimatum, SHOWBIZPLUSng learnt
was handed down yesterday by Chief Nengi James, the Chairman of the Oil and Gas
Committee of the Nembe community during an enlarged meeting with officials of
Shell and stakeholders of the community in Yenagoa.
Besides, the community also warned
that the people would resist any attempt by the oil company to sell its
facilities within their domain without proper consultations with the Amanyanabo
of Nembe, Chief Edmund Dakoru, and his people, saying they reserved the right
to have a say in the disposal of any property owned by Shell within their
community.
At the meeting which also had in
attendance the alternate Chairman of the Nembe Chiefs Council, Mr. Solomon
Ockiya, and Chairman of Nembe City Development Foundation and former
Commissioner of Environment, Dr. Godson Omubo-Dede, James lamented that it was
unfortunate that Shell had failed to abide by the GMoU after the expiration of
the former last year.
“As a community, we are giving SPDC
30 days to pay the GMoU fund accrued to the community since last year or face
immediate shut down of all its facilities within our territories. They should
stop using the divestment as a deliberate ploy to deny us our privileges while
they are still exploring oil within the shores of our communities, we cannot be
deceived,” he said.
Other demands by the community
include provision of portable water and electricity generating plant for Nembe
Creek communities and settlements pending the completion of the Independent
Power Plant being installed by the SPDC for the entire Kingdom, and total mop
up of oil spill sites and environmental remediation.
However, the community thanked SPDC
for partnering the Niger Delat Development Commission (NDDC) on the Ogbia-Nembe
road.
This Day 
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