The Federal Government of Nigeria has been commended by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and the Belemaoil Producing Limited, for a peaceful resolution for operations to commence at OML-25.
The Managing Director of SPDC Nigeria, Mr Osagie Okunbor, stated this at Belema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers, during a joint visit to OML-25 host communities with a Federal Government delegation.
Okunbor said SPDC was happy to be back to the facility for operations to commence after two long years of discussions.
“A lot of credit to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Corporation (NNPC), Mr Mele Kyari for bringing SPDC and Belemaoil together.
“SPDC is in support of what the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the NNPC GMD have said to bring peace to the host communities.
“It is absolutely important for peace to return because in the absence of peace, we will be where we are and nothing will be achieved,” he said.
According to Okunbor, no party is benefiting from the peace that is not found because even Belemaoil, a unit partner is not benefiting.
“So, it was in that spirit that we decided that it was important to sit together and find a way out of the impasse.
“I am very grateful to God that we have found that meeting point for us to work together with Belemaoil and the host communities,” he said.
The SPDC MD said that they had impressed it on Belemaoil to treat everybody well no matter what must have transpired in the course of the challenge.
“The President of Belemaoil should ensure that all sections of the host communities are carried along, and he gave us that commitment.
“So, it is very important that we don’t keep generating more and more crisis because at the end, we are all one for one purpose,” he added.
Mr Tein Jack-Rich, President of Belemaoil commended the federal government for achieving a far reaching reconciliation among the stakeholders of OML-25.
Jack-Rich pledged to carry everybody along no matter the position the parties took.
“Belemaoil will not treat anyone unduly because we need peace to develop the area and put an end to agitations,” he said.
NAN reports that women from Belema, Offoin-ama and Ngeje communities in Akuku-Toru LGA, hosting OML-25 shutdown the facility over SPDC’s failure to develop the area. (NAN)
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