By; EMMA ARUBI, Warri
The functions of Board members of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Host Communities Development Trustees Fund (HCDTF) must be separated from labour, employment and contracts negotiations and left for the various community’s executives and elders councils to handle with the different companies operating in their mandate areas.
This is one of the resolutions reached by OML150 HOST/IMPACTED COMMUNITIES STAKEHOLDERS meeting held in Warri and attended by the various community representatives, Tuesday amongst other resolutions.
“Communities trust/management executives, including youth executives, shall negotiate directly without middlemen”.
Speaking specifically on the functions of the HCDTF, a stakeholder/ convener of the meeting, Mr. Fidelix Orugboh explained that the basic function of the board is to manage and deplore the 3% from the PIA fund to develop the oil bearing communities.
He explained further that with the emergence of the PIA as enacted all former negotiating community organization like GMoU, IRDC and so on have become moribund and dissolved forthwith, saying that OML 150 Consultative Forum has therefore died a natural death and all labour, employment and empowerment negotiation should now be conducted by each community executive.
The resolution further stated that it’s not true that Aja-Osolo community is trying to corner all the benefits accruing from Conoil Company, operators of OML 150, instead what they are saying is that each community should now be allowed to go for their individual negotiation.
According to them, ” PIA members should concentrate on the 3% allocation job function and leave the community executive to function by negotiating their various community benefits with the various oil companies operating in their areas”, they explained.
Reacting to the stance of community representatives in their resolution, Dr. Monday Agbeyi said his tenure as Chairman of OML 150 Consultative Forum as approved by His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse 111, CFR, the Olu of Warri Kingdom has not expired just as the so-called gathering does not have the locus or mandate to dissolve the well recognized OML 150 Consultative Forum.
The OML150 Host/Impacted communities Stakeholders resolutions also announced that Otumara and Ugboritseduwa communities are henceforth recognized as impacted communities and admitted to the Conoil Producing Limited operations in OML150 and that the company, the palace and the state government will be duly informed of this new development for proper recognition officially.
“Conoil shall recognize and negotiate with the Major Host community leaders/executives and all other communities similarly” henceforth.
“Conoil shall negotiate contracts and labour employment directly with community leaders/executive.
‘OML-150 HOST/IMPACTED COMMUNITIES STAKEHOLDERS shall moderate all community affairs related to stakeholders”, they maintained.The OML-150 Communities Consultative Forum is dissolved, effective immediately”, they emphasized
Among the communities and persons present were :Chief Billy Begiwa,Johnson Onire, Pa Samson Agitan of Aja-Osolo;Frank Uwatse, Fidelis Ete Lori, Julius Eromona of Uwakeno community; Madam Dora Gbenebitse for Otumara community and Edema Sillo Oritsegbemi for Jaluwa community, Oduomayemi Success for Ugboritseduwa community. Others are Darling Semuge for Ewekuara community, Otomewo Omereyemi for Obodo and George Benson for Eworitsemogha community respectively.
