Guardian

TO sustain the seamless operation of economic exploitation of oil and gas resources in the western flank of the Niger Delta comprising oil-bearing communities of the coastal stretch of Ondo State, the state government has inaugurated a committee to promote relationship between the multinational corporations and the host communities.

The body, Ilaje (Ugbo) Coastal Communities Development Committee (ICCDC), according to officials of the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), is to provide a platform of understanding among the various stakeholders in the oil economy of the coastal areas and prevent anything that may lead to disruption of oil activities.

Director of Finance of OSOPADEC, an intervention agency set up by the state to expend 40 per cent of the statutory 13 per cent oil derivation fund to develop the oil areas, Sola Orisamolua, who inaugurated the body on behalf of Governor Olusegun Mimiko at Ugbo-Nla in Ilaje local council, said the new committee should henceforth resolve any issue that arose between oil companies and the communities amicably.

The event had in attendance some traditional rulers of Ugbo extraction in Ilaje led by the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan; the Chairman, caretaker committee of the council, Banji Okunomo; and some representatives of oil firms operating in the area.

The OSOPADEC boss, while inaugurating the 15-member body, urged them to sustain the current peace in the area so that oil firms who are carrying out their responsibilities without any form of threat, intimidation and harassment, will be happy to implement projects that will be of immense benefit to the people.

Oba Akinruntan who noted that members of the committee were selected from various oil and community associations because they were found to be men of proven integrity, said none of them was indispensable, pointing out that there were scores of other capable and highly respectable individuals who could be called upon to replace any member of the committee found wanting.

He said: “Your major task is to ensure that you give account of stewardship and ensure proper accountability. I am not ready to share your money with you. My interest is the welfare of all my people and to make sure that they are not cheated in any form.

“When I became the monarch, I made a solemn pledge to use my God given wealth to develop our area and empower our people and God has been answering my prayers in that regard. I advise that you always think of what you can do to assist our people rather than collaborate with enemies of progress to foment trouble. Therefore, avoid any form of litigation because it slows down progress. Let us all join hands together to move Ugboland forward.”

In his speech, Okunomo congratulated the Olugbo for ensuring the successful inauguration of the committee, which he said, “will henceforth be the central negotiating body for indigenes of the oil producing Ugboland.”

According to him, “Oba Akinruntan is the only prescribed traditional authority in charge of the oil producing areas in Ondo State. As the monarch in charge of the oil wealth of the state, I commend the Olugbo for taking steps to ensure that agitation by the various groups are harmonised to forestall all forms of unrest and militancy in the area.

“I am of the firm belief that the merger of all the various associations under a single umbrella will enhance equitable representation of the people of the area before the oil prospecting firms.”

Chairman of the Committee, Oba Femi Ogbaro, pledged on behalf of other members of the committee, to put the interest of their people higher than any form of personal interest during any form of negotiations with the oil firms.

He added, “our goal is to take decisions in the best interest of our people at all time and we desire the cooperation of everybody to make the committee succeed in its assignment.”

Secretary of the ICCDC, Jide Nana, explained that the committee was the merger of the existing oil associations in Ugboland stressing that “the merger is the composition of all associations. It is a child of necessity to harmonise the various oil associations in the overriding interest of our people and to ensure that there is a proper coordination between the oil producing communities and the oil companies in a manner devoid of rancor, crisis and misunderstanding”.