BEVERLY HILLS, March 22, (THEWILL) – For refusing to locate their operational bases to the state, neglecting local content in employment and contract policies and generally neglecting Corporate Social Responsibility, multinational oil companies operating within Akwa Ibom State have been ordered to halt operations with immediate effect or face consequences.
A militant group, Unyekisong Akwa Ibom, served notice of grievances in a statement circulated to journalists in Uyo, the state capital.
Unyekisong expressed misgivings that since the commencement of operations by companies like Addax, Moni Pulo, Chevron, Century, Oriental Energy, Savannah Petroleum, Total E & P, SEEPCO, AFREN, AMNI and their subsidiaries and partners in the state’s various oil fields and territorial waters, no substantial benefits had accrued to the host communities.
A coalition of freedom fighters in the state, Unyekisong Akwa Ibom comprises former members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Movement for the Actualisation of the Niger Delta Republic, Niger Delta People’s Salvation Force, Niger Delta Avengers, Niger Delta Liberation Force and Niger Delta Movement for Justice and Niger Delta Warrior
Endorsed by the Leader and the Deputy of the group, General Dede Udofia and Major Ibanga Ekang, the statement obtained by newsmen in Uyo Monday stated that the vacation notice became necessary as the oil firms had enjoyed relative peace without hostilities to their projects compared to other oil communities in the Niger Delta region, while the people have not derived any concomitant benefits for their goodwill.
Unyekisong Akwa Ibom said: “Rather, we have been subjected to unwholesome deprivations and marginalisation. It is also indeed very painful and regrettable to witness the high level of suffering, hopelessness, degradation and poverty that the people of the oil-producing communities in Akwa Ibom State have been subjected to as a result of the industrial activities of the various oil firms since their commencement of operations.
“What we are doing is necessary due to atrocities perpetrated by multinational oil companies on oil-bearing communities apart from ExxonMobil and Savannah Petroleum.
“We also express our utmost displeasure at the companies’ insensitivity to underdevelopment and degrading living conditions of the people in the oil-producing communities, due to their many years of oil exploration and exploitation in the area with the attendant environmental hazards.”
The statement also expressed dissatisfaction at what it described as the passive response of the current administration in the state to the constant cries and yearnings of the suffering masses from the host communities whose sources of livelihood, property and lives had been completely destroyed as a result of the activities of these oil firms.
The group affirmed: “As the economic nerve-centre of the country, we in Akwa Ibom State are also totally shocked and disappointed at the passive response of the present state government to the constant cries and yearnings of the suffering masses from these communities whose sources of livelihood, property and lives have been completely destroyed as a result of the operations of these firms.
“The matter has been made even worse that after collecting the 13% oil derivation funds for these past six years, the state government cannot account for how the funds were used, neither has the government any project to show for in the area of provision of social amenities in the oil-producing communities; rather the people have continued to suffer high level of marginalisation, neglect and poverty.
“There are no functional schools, potable water, markets, access roads, health facilities, etc. in the affected communities.
“The oil companies have totally abandoned their Corporate Social Responsibility which shows that they came to Akwa Ibom State to worsen the condition of the already deprived people of the region instead of development.
“It is not news that the companies have been drilling several barrels of oil per day from the rigs located in our territorial waters, but do not see the need to provide basic amenities to their immediate host communities and catchment areas who suffer the adverse effects of their drilling operations.”
According to the statement, over 90 percent of the companies’ employees came from outside their host communities while the companies intentionally refused to do business with indigenous contractors and suppliers.
“At this juncture, Unyekisong wishes to inform the affected companies that since they are not prepared to work in accordance with the provisions of the Local Content Act and Corporate Social Responsibility, we therefore warn them to immediately evacuate all the innocent workers from their operational bases and rigs both onshore and offshore within our territorial waters to avoid casualties and damages.”
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