Communities Threaten To Shutdown ND-Western Operation In Delta State

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No fewer than 28 host communities in OML34, Delta State, yesterday, issued a five-day ultimatum to ND-Western E&P Company and NNPC E&P Limited, to shut down their operations over the companies’ continued failure and refusal to fulfil the mandatory obligations to the aggrieved host communities, Vanguard reports.

The notice for peaceful protest and shutdown of operations was contained in a letter to the Managing Director of NNPC E&P Limited and Chief Operating Officer of ND-Western dated November 1, 2022.

The letter was by the chairmen and president generals of the 28 host communities, which include Michael Oghenegueke, Pastor Moses Bekaren, Rufus Onokurefe, Francis Uzoh, Nuwawa Alledy,  Okorodudu Solomon and 22 others.

They said: “We are demanding payment of outstanding penalty fines due to the 28 host communities from the expired GMoU of January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2019. Also, the payment of the penalty fine of N6,250,000 representing five per cent of the Project Fund for the belated payment of the second tranche of 2022, recently paid in the fourth week of October 2022, after three months of grace from January 1 to September 30, 2022, as provided for in the relevant GMoU documents.

“We are demanding payment of the accumulated scholarship arrears spanning through a period of four years, alternatively, the company should provide proof of awardees duly paid and records of those outstanding.”