By Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa – Host communities to the multi billion naira SPDC E.A oil field have threatened to shut down operations at the facilities in protest over what they described as the alleged refusal of the oil giant to comply with the provisions of the local content and community employment opportunities as contained in Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) entered into with them.

Rising from an emergence meeting the communities under the aegis of Association of Basan West, Iduwini, Kou and Mein Cluster Development Boards and Foundations in a petition to the management of the SPDC in which Bayelsa State government through the Commissioner for Energy and the commander Joint Task Force were copied also called for the suspension of all works and oil operations as well as the suspension of contracts awarded to the service companies at the E.A Field until their demands are met.

The petition was signed by Timi Seimienbo, chairman Basan West Cluster Development Board, Elimi Geregere, chairman Iduwini Cluster Development Foundation, Osteen Igbapike Esq chairman Kou Cluster Development Board and Robert Ati, chairman Mein Cluster Development Board among others.

The petitioners said they were compelled to bring to the notice of the state government the complaints and threats from their respective clusters to shutdown the E. A. Field operations over alleged shady deals and award of contracts to friends and cronies of certain persons within SPDC to the detriment of the clusters who are host to the E. A. Field and the GMoU document already signed with the said clusters.

The petition reads, “It has come to our notice that you have been in flagrant breach and abuse of the provisions of Local Content and Community Employment Opportunities contained in the GMoUs you signed with these respective CDBs/CDFs for reasons not farfetched from barefaced corruption, nepotism and deliberate insult of the host communities to the E. A. Field who have a legally enforceable document called the GMoU with you.”

While calling for an emergency meeting with the management of SPDC and clusters development boards and foundation within one week of the receipt of its petition it further advised all activities at the E. A. Field be suspended and the contracts awarded to Micharry and other companies at the E. A. Field until an agreement is reached whether those provisions in the GMoU are either suspended or expunged before commencement of work at the E. A. Field.

The petitioners added, “As representatives of the respective clusters, we are your single interface points with the host communities of the E. A. Field with regards to your operations at the E. A. Field. This duty of interface includes reporting to you and advising you on conflict triggers so as to smoothen and grant you the social license to operate.

“Lately you have been operating as an island and have been awarding contracts to your friends and cronies in blatant disregard to the said provisions of the GMoU and thereby shortchanging the respective clusters of contracts and community employment opportunities.

“This letter is also to inform you that we can no longer guarantee the safety of your personnel and equipments working at the E. A. Field since you do not respect signed agreements which you have with the said clusters.”