Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Indigenous oil firm, Belemaoil Producing Limited, has assured youths of OML25 host communities of employment opportunities in the reopened oil facility, calling on oil producing communities in the Niger Delta region to ensure that peace and unity reign in their communities at all times.
Founder and President of Belemaoil, Mr Jackrich Tein Jnr, also urged host communities of OML25 to ensure a good relationship between the communities and the operating companies for onward employment, empowerment of indigenes and development of the area.
Tein speaking during the Stakeholders Joint Visit to OML25 communities and facilities in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, said the Federal Government was losing 35,000 barrels of oil everyday on the closure of the Belema flow station and gas plant.
The oil mogul charged the host communities of OML25 and other oil producing communities in the region, to also seek their rights peacefully, noting that violence and destruction of oil facilities can only bring underdevelopment of the area.
He assured that after technical inspection and maintenance of the OML25 oil facilities, there would be jobs and better opportunities for indigenes of the area and other neighbouring communities.
According to him, “Basically what I told the women is that their cry for better living is being recognised by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum, by the General Managing Director of NNPC, and Managing Director of Shell.
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“Shell came here with the most powerful personnel with the Executive Director of Nigerian Content, others. This is a super excellent visit to this great community. The community people are very happy knowing that they are going to get jobs. But if the community development fail they are going to hold Jackrich, they will know that their brother is responsible.
“The important thing to recognise is that Nigeria has a growing population, about 3 to 5 percent in the next 30 years is going to be experiencing a population growth of about 380million, 75percent of that population are young ones and if nothing is done there will be alot of social issues.
“If we fail to put a platform that enables business to fly in this part of the country, then we have a major challenge and that is the GMD of NNPC and the Minister took it as an important part of their business to come in here with all the federal government representatives to really demonstrate that they recognise what you have been looking for. We recognise your struggle, we understood what you really need and they came.
“I want to also say to our brothers and sister, our women, fathers and youths, to give peace a chance to honour these August visitors that we received in this manner that has never happened in any other Niger Delta community before. The President is very happy about the community and he has really helped us and has encouraged me to help the communities and we are also doing alot for other Niger Delta communities. I believe that this business that God has given to us, which I call the ‘Pace Setting’ to helping others who are very much in need.”
Speaking on the resumption of oil and gas production activities on OML25, Tein explained that there will be a joint visit by the technical team of SPDC and Belemaoil on the facility, which has been shut down in the last 25 months.
“We are going to carryout technical assessment, we are going to look at how the facility has responded to abandonment and what is needed to be put in place in terms of technical activities, and we are going to engage the local communities, give them jobs and give them other support contract.
“I am happy the Royal Highness, the Amayanabo of Kula, King Kroma Amabibi Eleki, has advised the women and the youths that the entire struggle has come to an end with successful outcome.
“We will ensure employments are created for the youths and other empowerment programmes are created for development. The Federal Government and NNPC will also start making money, Shell and Belemaoil will start making money because Belemaoil is also a unit partner of that asset, shutting down that asset is of no benefit to Belemaoil or any partner, not even the communities because they will not have jobs.”
Similarly, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, has advised the Ijaw nation to make their communities peaceful and hospitable to attract investors.
Sylva identified peace and unity as panacea for development, noting that hostility towards investors will drive away development, he described the event as historic moment in the history of Nigeria.
“I must tell you that this is historic. And not in any time in the history of Nigeria has such as high level delegation visited community related to the oil industry. Today here present, is the GMD of NNPC, the Director of DPR, myself as Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum, even the Managing Director of Shell was here. It has never happened that all these people the same time has visited a community together.
“We just came here to tell you that you are not alone, that the federal government is with you, the President is with you. We have heard from members of the community and from the Belemaoil and we know that we will support you every step of the way.
“I want to tell you that this is not going to be the last time of our visit here. This relationship with this community has come to stay. I have told members of this community that I have met, that we need unity in Ijaw land, we need unity in Niger Delta, we have fought to this point and the federal government at least has started looking our ways. It is time for us to change strategy and ensue that we begin to bring the benefit of investment to our community. If we don’t make our community peaceful, investment cannot come.
“The investors are ready to come here and without the investors here there will be no job for our youths. The investors are ready to come here but unfortunately, in some cases there is no peace. It is our responsibility now to bring peace to our communities so that these investors can come and create the jobs.”
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