Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Landowners under the aegis of The United Pipeline Host Families and Communities Association of Rivers State have called on President Bola Tinubu, to compel the Nigeria LNG Limited, to pay them the compensation sum of N18.3billion, as ordered by the 9th Senate, over alleged forceful acquisition of their lands.
The group, made up of landowners from 74 communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Abua/Odual, Emohua, Akuku-Toru, Degema and Okrika Local Government Areas of the state, said the have lost the use of 210KM stretch of land due to pipeline Right of Way, ROW for over 25 years.
Arising from a protest meeting in Ahoada, the group, said NLNG has refused to recognise them as host communities, but rather were merely seen as Gas Transmission Starting Line communities by the gas firm.
Speaking on behalf of the landowners, Chairman of the group, Engr. Vincent Agwanuru, recalled that the 9th Senate had on October 4, 2022, after NLNG allegedly failed to show proof of payment for acquisition of the land, resolved and ordered NLNG to pay N18.3 billion as compensation due to the host communities.
Agwanuru who read the seven-point communique after the meeting, also said the Senate had ordered NLNG to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the affected communities, over losing their lands to gas pipelines ROW.
The group further accused the management of NLNG of fraudulently carrying out renewal of statutory lease agreement, as required of her to do after 20 years without contacting the landowners, but rather forged names suggestive of landowners.
“In pursuant of the demand of our constitutional right, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we the appointed representatives of the various Pipeline Right-of-Way (Families and Communities) in Rivers State, who were affected by NLNG operation, starting from the year 1996 till date, came to a conclusion and resolved as follows:
“Due to the refusal of the NLNG to pay for the loss of use of our land (from 1996 till date) in over 74 communities, in eight Local Government Areas of Rivers state covering over 210 kilometers, which was forcefully taken by NLNG.
“We the landlords hereby demand for the payment of approved compensation on our land based on current market values as resolved after thorough investigations were conducted by the 8th and 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Having observed that NLNG has violated the mandatory, statutory demand by the Oil Pipeline Act and Land Use Act on Lease, stipulating the maximum 20years or minimum of five years duration, that must be observed after accusation of land had expired, NLNG without notice of entry on the Landlords of Host Communities for the renewal of lease, went ahead fraudulently obtained renewal licence without the consent of the Landlords.
“The Host Communities hereby demand that NLNG should do the needful by removing their properties (the pipes) on our lands so as to enable us, the Landlords make use of our lands in farming, fishery, etc.
“Pursuant to the referred resolution of the 9th Nigerian Senate, the clerk of the Senate transmitted the above referred instrument to the Secretary of the Federation of Nigeria and also to the management of NLNG on the need for her to pay the money but till date NLNG has bluntly refused to pay the money or taken any step suggesting that she wants to pay the money.
“Provocatively, while this money is not paid the management of NLNG has fraudulently carried out the renewal of statutory lease agreement as required of her to do after 20 years without contacting the land-owning side but rather fraudulently forged names suggestive of landowners.
“As if that was not enough, while still in contempt of the resolution of Senate, the management of NLNG has instigated the Federal Ministry of Environment to carry out an EIA for the construction of her 7th train in our Environment and served out notices to communities in her bid to construct an additional Gas Transmission line on our lands still without payment to us.
“We hereby, urge the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to direct the management of NLNG, to pay us the approved amount the resolution passed at the plenary by the 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria within 30days, or remove their pipes from our lands,” the group said.
Follow us on twitter
