The dust raised by the constitution of the Edo State Board of Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDOSOPADEC), by the State Government, is causing more ripples, as communities in Ugu ward in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State have decried alleged malicious neglect in the composition.
The communities, in a petition they filed through their lawyers, Aigbe & Aigbe Solicitors, and addressed to Governor Godwin Obaseki, said the exclusion of indigenes of Ugu communities in ESOPADEC Board violated its extants laws.
They expressed concern that their communities were the immediate recipients of the adverse effects of activities of the companies situated therein in the exploration and production of oil and gas.
Counsel to the communities said that available statistics as released by DPR in 2016, showed that communities in Ugu ward produce oil and gas, adding that whereas, “other communities produce only oil.”
The law firm said: “Section 1 of EDSOPADEC law 2007 reads: ‘the Chairman who shall be indigene of an oil and gas producing Area shall be an indigene of host communities.'”
The petitioners further claimed that the law did not make provision for persons from oil producing local government who are not indegenes of host communities to be appointed to the board.
They therefore appealed that “the chairman and at least one member of the board of EDSOPADEC should be given to the people of Ugu ward.”
, by the State Government, is causing more ripples, as communities in Ugu ward in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State have decried alleged){kind=link}