Community shut Agip facility for negotiation

Paramount ruler of Egbebiri in Bayelsa State, Aniedima Nicholas, on Monday, explained why activities at the Idu Oil Production field at Biseni, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, have been disrupted.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa that the action was to bring the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), operator of the field, to the negotiating table. Six oil wells operated by the NAOC in the area were shut and access roads to the field were blocked with logs on May 26.

Nicholas said they disrupted the oil production “because of NAOC’s refusal to renew the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the community.’’ The people of the Egbebiri community at Biseni, Yenagoa Local Government Area, alleged that the management of the NAOC neglected its social responsibilities to its host community.

The paramount ruler said the maiden MoU signed in 2001 lapsed in 2005, and that efforts to get the oil firm to renew it proved abortive, saying “our grievance is on the insensitive posture of Agip to our developmental aspirations.

“Our needs and expectations are captured in that agreement and if you look at the few amenities we have here, they are products of the first MoU. From 2005 till date, Agip has abdicated its role and that stagnated development here; the road you see was from that MoU, we have waited for so long and decided to take this final step.

“We are prepared to go to any length to bring the firm back to the negotiation table, to renew the MoU and pay outstanding liabilities for jobs done by the community. Our surveillance jobs on their pipelines have continued, despite heavy debts owed to us, as well as pending compensation for oil spills since 2010.’’

Investigations, however, show that officials of the oil firm have begun talks aimed at resolving the outstanding issues with the leadership of the community.