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| Alison |
The
House of Representatives has resolved to investigate allegations of
sharp practices by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in the
divestment of Oil Mining Lease OML11.
To
this end, the House has summoned the Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke and the management of Shell Petroleum
Development Company to appear before its committee and explain their
roles.
The
resolution was contained in motion moved by Rep Uzoma Nkem Abonta (PDP,
Abia) who is seeking to find out circumstances surrounding Shell’s exit
from the said oil block and host communities knowing how interested it
was in the build-up to the acquisition process and the role it played in
the crisis that engulfed the host communities.
Rep
Abonta while leading the debate on the motion told lawmakers that:
“Shell Petroleum Company is desirous of relinquishing its interest in
some oil blocks especially OML11”.
"Aware
of the discrepancies, lack of transparency and insider trading
arrangements in the bidding process by Shell Petroleum Development
Company", he said.
Speaking
further on the import of the motion, Rep Abonta stressed that “the
motion is asking the House to look at what Shell is trying to do with
those oil blocks”.
“OML
as far as I’m concerned is a leasing agreement which is not forever. It
is given and elapses at a given period of time. But what is happening
now is not in tandem with our laws.
“Based
on crisis precipitated by Shell itself, it's trying to leave those oil
blocks having set youths of host communities against themselves. They
did not adhere to best international practices, now the place is hot for
them and they want to abandon it and go else where.
“So
the question is that are they competent to lease it out? Is that the
rule? What Shell is trying to do is just like, I rent out my house to
you; your rent expires and instead of vacating the property, you now
want to rent it out to another tenant without my consent.
“And
we are also saying that for peace to reign since we’ve not passed PIB,
let the communities be carried along in the so-called biding process for
the re-acquisition of the relinquished oil blocks so that they can
participate and get some level of ownership if they are interested.
“We
have local content law which spells out how things are done taking the
interest on host communities and indigenous investors into
consideration”, he said.
The
communities hosting the said oil blocks are: Gokana and Tai Ogoni
communities in Rivers State, Oyigbo, Asa Ukwa oil field in Abia State as
well as Adoni, Opobo and Bonny in Rivers State.
My dad use to say, "this too shall pass"
PEOPLES DAILY
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