Host Communities In Rivers State Threaten To Shut Down NLNG Train 7 Project

The Ekpeye Oil and Gas Pipeline Host Communities (EOGPH) in Rivers State have threatened to shut down the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 project if the Federal Government and the participating companies fail to consult them.

The stakeholders under the umbrella of EOGPH have said that oppose all multinationals in their area if they refuse to address their challenges.

Speaking in Ahoada yesterday, the group claimed that International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in their area had impoverished them for too long.

National Chairman of EOGPHC, Chidi Idogini, said that it was unacceptable for the Federal Government and the NLNG to be consulting only the Bonny communities in the Train 7 project.

Idogini said attention should be given to Ekpeye communities, the source of the raw material instead of Bonny, which is the location of the terminal.

“NLNG cannot start Train 7 contract without involving the Ekpeye nation, because the Train 7 is totally a business that has to do with Ekpeye and partly Ogba communities.

“This Train 7 is coming from Ekpeye so it is expedient for them to come and discuss with us because we will not allow any company to come to Ekpeye land to do the drilling without due consultation and involvement,” Idogini said.

Idogini added that nothing significant has been done to the area where the oil is drilled and the people of the community are not employed.

“Go to Bonny that is just a transmission centre and see what is happening there, but here where it will be drilled, nothing,”

“We are calling on every well-meaning sons and daughters of Ekpeye to take it on themselves. We are championing the interest of Ekpeye people where some person will benefit,”

“NLNG cannot employ 12,000 persons in Bonny and feel that Ekpeye people will be happy. That will never happen. They must come here. If they feel they want to balkanize Ekpeye, they want to come in and feed fat, that era has gone,”

“We are calling on the governor to take it as a matter of utmost urgency to talk to the IOCs because they are trying to introduce what is known as divide and rule method and we will not accept that,”

“What we want to achieve is industrial harmony. If they don’t come that project must be put on hold. There are pertinent issues we need to address before they start,” He concluded.