BEVERLY HILLS, May 03, (THEWILL) – Lawmaker representing Yenagoa Constituency 3 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Teddy Elemefuro, has sued for peace between the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and other oil companies and the youth of his constituency over feuds resulting from alleged non-implementation of GMoU in oil host communities of the area.
THEWILL learnt that trouble started in the Ikarama community a few days ago, when the youth intercepted a moving equipment believed to have belonged to the oil major, demanding settlement and implementation of terms of agreement contained in their GMoU with the company.
THEWILL further learnt that upon the refusal of the multinational to do that, the youth deflated the tyres of the vehicle, and the company invited security operatives to contain the situation.
Speaking against this backdrop, the lawmaker said the only panacea to development was peace, calling on the multinational and the communities of the area to have a common understanding for peace to reign.
Elemefuro, who also condemned attempts by oil companies operating in the area to flagrantly disrespect their GMoUs with their host communities, described the environmental hazards committed in the area as having a toll on the people.
He called on the leadership of the host communities in the area to continue pleading with the youth to sheathe their swords, noting that the prosperity government of Governor Douye Diri promised to henceforth monitor the signing and implementation of GMoUs in the state.
He said: “Recently too I was part of the committee from the state assembly who accompanied the state Commissioner for Environment and some Federal lawmakers to visit sites of oil spills across the state.
“We visited my constituency and you just need to see the extent of environmental pollution there. It’s so bad that oil majors operating in our areas wouldn’t honour these GMoUs.
“However, I have been in touch with the people ever since this incident started and I was informed the government has contained the situation.”
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