By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT— THE Federal Government has been urged to relocate the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to any state in the Niger Delta region where the nation’s oil economy is based.
Governor Amaechi made the call when the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Mohammad Barkindo, led a delegation of the management of the corporation on a courtesy call to Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor, who lauded the steps taken by the Presidency to address the Niger Delta problems, also called on NNPC to get all oil companies to relocate their headquarters to Port Harcourt or any other state in the Niger Delta.
According to him, relocation of the headquarters of NNPC and other oil companies to the Niger Delta would help to generate activities that would boost the economy of the region, and provide succour for the next phase of the amnesty programme, as repentant militants would have access to employment opportunities.
He explained that the idea of locating zonal headquarters of oil companies in the Niger Delta while moving the base of the oil economy out of the region, was an unhealthy development that needed to be corrected to assuage the years of neglect of the Niger Delta region.
The governor promised to partner with the NNPC in its gas development plans, assuring that Port Harcourt has the capacity and the facilities to host the world, especially now that peaceful co-existence has been restored.
The governor, who emphasized the need for all Nigerians to be given equal opportunity to move forward, said no section or region of the country should be cheated as injustice breeds criminality.
Earlier, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Mohammad Barkindo, had commended Governor Amaechi for the role he played during the period of militancy in the Niger Delta that culminated in a comprehensive amnesty programme which has brought peace and normalcy to the region.
Dr Barkindo said with the improved security situation in the Niger Delta, production of crude oil has appreciated tremendously and urged the governor to continue with his pioneering role and mobilize his other colleagues to join hands in ensuring peace in the region.
Amaechi has a way of blowing hot and cold-its all politics-if he had the interest of the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta at heart, he wld not have gone on to destroy the area where the drivers and cleaners reside-at the the water side-in PHC-was he not there with Odili for 8yrs–what did he do-nothing-the youths who would have ended up like the hausa chief executive he spoke with–are the ones they turned into cultist-while others werr sent to their school of amnesty deals-time for the governors in the south south region of nigeria, to add their voice to the call for fiscal federalism-the abrogation of the land use decree and petroleum acts <of OBJ-the socalled-groundnut pyramids-did—–have their headquarters in the niger delta–
In the Gulf of Mexico in the USA, the head quarters of oil explorations is in Huston not Washington the capital of the USA. In the North sea the head quarters is in Aberdeen not London the capital of the UK. I see no reason why the head quarters of oil explorations, in the Gulf of Guinea, will not be in the Niger Delta, places like Warri, Port Harcourt, etc, rather the head quarters is in Abuja the capital of Nigeria. Why will common sense not prevail in Nigeria? Polititics, greed and bare face parochialism guide all decisions, economic considerations are always discarded. If the head quarters of the oil expolrations, had been located in the Niger Delta, the oil companies and governments, could have developed the Niger Delta and most if not all of these restiveness and agitations and mayhem, we are witnessing could have been avioded. Jobs will be created and developements and great progress could have followed.
Zubi says:
November 16, 2009 at 7:13 amThank you very much,let them know the truth,because Niger delta remain the brainbox of Nigeria,even now that oil is moving up daily
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Zubi in all honesty the niger delta is not the brain box of Nigeria It is presently the income generator for Nigeria though.
This has been part of the conditions in the struggle from the Kaima Declaratiion, Ogoni Bill Of Rights and also clamour by the Itsekiri’s to relocate the headquaters of these comanies to the Niger delta, this is a welcome development from Gov. Amaechi.
I absolutely agree and recommended the same a fortnight ago. Let the powers that be in abuja so immediately!
It is a good sugestion.The presidency should approve that with imedate effect. Beause those NNPC towers in Abuja should be built in Niger Delta region and Abuja should be branch.Oil company head offices should be shifted to these area so that youths will be employed. That will be the only truth solution to the N.D problem if mr president is real sincere with Niger Deltans.
Dr Mohammad Barkindo, governor Amaech also emphasized the need for all Nigerians to be given equal opportunity to move forward, said no section or region of the country should be cheated as injustice breeds criminality. Dr Mohammad Barkindo, why did you dodge that aspect of injustice to address only the tremendous appreciation of crude oil production? Governor Amaechi and other Niger Delta elders must ensure that the struggle for justice and equity in the region is holistic in ever ramification because these Northerners can’t be trusted.
Good thinking Govi.
If others have demanded for the relocation of the NNPC headquaters, your job would have been made simpler.
Let ND people demand for the relocation of NNPC. That is the only way you can handle your wealth. This is equal to a coup bcos without NNPC the North is dead
Great talk, i know that it must be relocated to igbuzo in Delta state which is the most peaceful town in Niger Delta. also the town is reputed to be one of the fastest growing towns,with good people like Pat Utomi, Peter Okocha, Prefessor Onwuachi, Barrister Peter Nnwaoboshi ( PDP CHAIRMAN DELTA STATE) Senator Nosike Ikpo, HRH (Prof) Louis Nwaoboshi,,Obuzor of Ibusa, Howard University Washington D.C, Prof. Austin Esogbue, Prof Fidelis Oditah, (SAN) and member of the Queen’s Counsel, Prof Anthony Elueze, University of Ibadan. Mr. Francis Atuche, PHB, Chief Celestine Okobi, ex-director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Fred Ajudua, Prof. Anthony Arinze and Prof Nolue Emenajoh. I hope that these great people of Igbuzo can as well make move for relocation of nnpc head quarter to this great town of ours for job opportunity to the people of the region.