Kunukunuma Community Threatens to Shut Down Oil Facilities in Delta State

Tue, Mar 7, 2017 | By publisher


BREAKING NEWS, Oil & Gas

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WOMEN and youths of Kunukunuma community have threatened to shut down operations of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company Limited, NPDC, on Friday March 10, if its status as host community to OML 42 is restored by then.

The community said it had resorted to the action because since the NPDC came on board, Kunukunuma had been accorded of a host community, unlike when Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, SPDC, was handling the matter. “We strongly appeal that our host community status be restored as soon as possible to avoid break down of law,” the community said in a statement signed by Moses Bebenimibo, chairman and James Odibo, secretary, Kunukunuma Federated Community.

The community said it had everything possible to make the NPDC recognise it as a host community in the OML 42 host communities, without success.

Besides, the statement said: “We were informed by Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited, SPDC, community liaison officer that our community was among the list of host communities that was forwarded to your office.

“In view of the above, we want to make our position very clear and it is on record that Kunukunuma community has been treated as host community over the years and has been enjoying same in terms of amenities and community projects executed in our community by SPDC.”

Some of the projects the community benefitted from the SPDC included, six class rooms block; borehole water project with treatment plant and overhead tank and network of water pipes, and 350KVA SPDC installed Perkins generator with electrical poles and wiring covering the entire community, among others.

In addition, the statement said: “Furthermore a deep water well project was also approved for the community, contract was awarded, contractor visited site and dialogued with community in preparation to commence work but the project was later cancelled due to failure of a pilot project at another community.

“We have been benefiting annually from Post Primary and Tertiary scholarships award as ‘Areas of Operation Merit Award’ up to 2011/2012 academic year (copy of allocation letters attached for your perusal).

“Each time SPDC organised People’s Parliament, Open Forums, Kunukunuma community as one of the recognised host had always been invited to attend such meetings in both their office and hotels in Warri, (attached is copy of such invitation to the open forum held at Wellington Hotels, Effurun on 29/11/2011 where the intention to sell the OML 42 was made to know to all SPDC host communities and the handing over to the new operator).

“When the NPDC came on board and invited host communities of OML 42, Kunukunuma community was conspicuously omitted. When we drew the attention of the NPDC Community Relations Officer, we were told that it was an error and that it will be corrected as soon as possible, but up till now nothing has been done.

“We wish to state very clearly that we have been host community enjoying all host community benefits from the SPDC before NPDC came on board, we don’t know why NPDC has not recognised Kunukunuma as host community in OML 42.

“Since that time till now, series of letters have been written to authorities of the NPDC without response.”

—  Mar 7, 2017 @ 15:05 GMT

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