The people of oil-bearing communities of Ilaje Local Government area of Ondo state have kicked against confirmation of Charles Ogunmola as the Executive Director of Projects at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC by the Senate.
The aggrieved people, who staged a peaceful protest in Awoye community to show their displeasure, issued a 14 day ultimatum to do the needful
The dust raised by confirmation of Charles Ogunmola as the Executive Director of Projects at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, by the Senate, has refused to settle.
Ogunmola was confirmed along side other members of the NDDC board, despite stiff opposition from different quarters in Ondo State.
The people of oil-bearing communities of the state are out again to kick against his confirmation, as they did when he was nominated.
Armed with placards with various inscriptions, the people, under the umbrella of Ilaje-Ugbo Host communities for oil and gas production, described Ogunmola’s confirmation as a slap on the entire people of Ilaje.
They said his nomination and subsequent confirmation is against the
act that established NDDC.
These protesters called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reject his confirmation in the interest of peace and equity.
The aggrieved protesters said the protest will continue until the needful is done.
The house of representatives has urged the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to suspend its planned auction of the $1 billion oil mining lease (OML) 11 asset for a meagre sum of $250 million.
The NPDC, which operates the OML 11, is a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
The resolution was reached after the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Victor Mela, a member of the house, at a plenary session of the House Wednesday.
Moving the motion, Honourable Mela said the oil field under OML 11 was operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) as a joint venture (JV).
He said the field had been idle since the company was forced out of Ogoniland in 1993.
Mela added that said following a court of appeal judgement on August 16, 2021, the SPDC JV lost its right to the renewal of the operating licence.
Going Further He said that there were unresolved issues between the government and the host communities of Ogoni, which were fueling resistance and restiveness among the people.
The lawmaker expressed concern over a claim that the government was allegedly involved in a unity arrangement to auction OML 11 asset to Sahara Energy Ltd, for a paltry sum of $250 million against the $1 billion offered by the SPDC.
Honourable Mela said there was a need to clarify and resolve issues associated with the planned auction among other matters.
The house, therefore, mandated its committee on petroleum upstream to investigate the planned auction among other matters and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
