By FESTUS AHON

UGHELLI— CHAIRMAN of the Federated Association of OML-34 Host Communities, Delta State, Mr. Benjamin Ebita, has accused the management of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, of employing delay tactics and evading negotiations with the communities through their consultant, Kes Idogun Oil Fields Services Ltd.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after a meeting of the host communities at Otor-Udu, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, weekend, Ebita said that the company was seeking to deal directly with the communities with a view to capitalising on their ignorance to shortchange them, emphasising that such approach was no longer acceptable to the host communities.

He said: “Such timid dealings between oil exploration companies and uninformed community elders are responsible for the lack of commitment on the part of the oil companies to the development of the host communities as there are no tangible content in the ‘blind Generam Memorandum of Understanding, GMOU’; the people were cowed to sign.”

Saying that the host communities were now wary of the ill-treatment meted on them in the past by Shell Petroleum Development Company, from which NDPC took over the oil fields, Ebita emphasised that “this set of leaders have, therefore, deemed it necessary to hire the services of experienced hands in the oil and gas sector, to negotiate on their behalf.”