Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, has charged oil multinationals operating in the Niger Delta region to meet the infrastructural needs of their host communities.
Chairman of the Committee, Dumnamene Dekor, gave the charge when he led members of the committee on oversight visit to host communities and oil producing companies in Rivers State.
Dekor who represents Khana/Gokana federal constituency in the House, said the visit has shown that almost all host communities are suffering and in complete neglect in terms of infrastructural development.
He said the Committee has visited host communities in Delta and Rivers States, adding that the Committee is expected to also visit host communities in Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Ondo etc.
“We are using this opportunity to call on those who are operating in the industry to do well to understand that these host communities are suffering a lot.
“There is complete neglect in terms of infrastructural development.”
The Committee also called on those involved in illegal refineries to desist from the trade and to rather embraced legal business.
He said the activities of illegal refiners and oil bunkering have further devastated the Niger Delta environment.
“As for the issue of illegal refineries, we also called on those involved in it to desist from it. Apart from sabotaging the nation’s economy, you’re also degrading the environment in such a merciless manner.
“So we call on those who are involved artisanal refining to stop forthwith and to engaged in other legal sources of livelihoods.”
