By Ochuko Akuopha

OLEH—HOST Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, has urged the Federal Government to approve 50 percent of oil blocs in the Niger Delta region to oil and gas bearing communities.

Speaking through its Isoko ethnic nationality chapter, HOSTCOM also called on multinational oil companies “and other oil and gas prospecting companies to relocate to the communities of their operations as demanded by the Local Content Law.”

The HOSTCOM chapter, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr. Akpode Odiri, said: “At present, none of the oil blocs is owned by an indigene of oil producing communities. There should be equity in the distribution of these oil blocs; only one part of the country should not be favoured. The Niger Delta, as the goose that lays the golden eggs, deserves its fair share in the distribution of the oil blocs. In addition to this, we are calling for the immediate approval of pipeline surveillance jobs to the host communities to empower the people whose resources are being used for the development of this country. We are appealing to the Federal Government to commence the direct payment of 13 percent derivation to the host communities and the implementation of gas flare penalty levy as demanded by the international law.”

It stressed the need for the Federal Government to expedite action on the clean-up of Ogoniland and other impacted oil communities in the region.