Nvakohia leaders petitions Wike, blames commissioner

Why we support Total – Chief Oloko

THE people of Nvakohia community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State, have broken into two blocs, following a fresh Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (Total E&P Nigeria Limited).

A section of the town pulled out of the MoU ceremony while the group and Mgbuesilaru community in Obio/Akpor local government area, endorsed the pact with Total at a ceremony, last Wednesday.

Community petitions Gov. Wike Leaders of Nvakaohia alleged the community was being forced to accept the MoU against its will by the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Sunny Ejekwu.

Eze Dennis Orji, chairman, Nvakohia-Rumekpe Council of Chiefs; Chief Rowland Owhonda, Eze Ekwutche community; Chief Godwin Woruka,  Eze Imogu community; Henry Nwonodi, chairman, CDC Imogu-Nvakaohia; Lawrence Rigumah, CDC chairman, Ekwutche-Nvakaohia community and London Adams, CDC Chairman, Ovelle-Nvakaohia community, in a joint statement, called on Governor Nyesom Wike    to call his aide, Ejekwu, to order.

They warned the Commissioner’s actions were capable of plunging Rumuekpe clan into crisis.

The letter read: “We, the chiefs, elders, stakeholders, women, youth and Community Development Committees, CDCs, of Nvakaohia-Rumuekpe in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State made up of Imogu, Ekwutche and Ovelle, wish to call on our leader and defender, His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, CON, to call his Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs to order and direct him to stay away from Nvakaohia Rumuekpe engagement with Total E&P Nigeria Limited, if all he wishes is to plunge the peace loving community into crisis as he is currently doing.”

“The Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Sir Sunny Ejekwu, had sent us threat messages, compelling and coercing us to sign a purported Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, on Wednesday, 15th June, 2021 with Total E&P Nigeria Ltd against our will. The Commissioner is on a mission to sabotage and undermine the effort of the governor to promote host community rights and entitlements with International Oil multinationals in the state and Nvakohia-Rumekpe will not fall for it.

Crux of the matter
“Nvakaohia- Rumuekpe community through its representatives had negotiated a MoU with Total E&P Ltd, but we wrote to the company that the signing of the said MOU should be put off till further notice. 

“This is to enable both parties to properly interface with Total E&P Ltd on a widely publicized petition we wrote to the company through the Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative TIFPI, which demands include remediation, compensation for years of neglect, humanitarian intervention, etc. for the devastation of the community caused by Total E&P Nigeria Ltd. 

“Information available to us is that Total E&P Nigeria Limited in a meeting held somewhere in New GRA, Port Harcourt, compromised a top government with millions of naira and promised him some major running contracts if he succeeds to do their bidding and undermine the interest of Nvakaohia-Rumekpe community which the company has destroyed,” they said.

Why we went ahead with new MoU – Chief Oloko
However, Chief Sunday Oloko, who spoke for the section of Nvakohia community that signed the MoU, said: “Since 2016/2017 when it (MoU), expired, it has been from one problem to another. Nvakaohia today is one. We have no difference, the signing is going on. We are going on now.”

Commissioner Ejekwu hails MoU
Rivers state Commissioner of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr. Sunny Ejekwu, commended the communities for accepting peace to renew MoU with Total E&P Limited.

He said: “There were different disagreements within the communities, there were forces that wanted to derail the process not to hold today. What we used to know is that IOCs look out for faults in the community to pull out from MoUs. Months and years will run, who loses, the communities.

“We thank you for your commitment to ensure that this is achieved. The communities have faced different challenges but I am happy that we have resolved all and come together to sign this MoU,” he said.

We are committed to touching lives – Total
On its part, Executive Director, Total E&P, Port Harcourt District, Mr. Obi Imemba, who spoke expressed happiness on the formal signing ceremony of the renegotiated MoU, said that over four years had elapsed since their expiration of their last agreement.

Imemba noted that that the MoUs would have far- reaching impact on the communities in areas of infrastructural development and employment, adding that the firm was prepared to touch lives of community people.

“There is no doubt that both parties have worked hard towards this mutually acceptable outcome, bearing in mind that the last MoUs with the communities expired in December 2016/2017 and due to intra- community conflicts,    it was difficult to renegotiate the MoU. We all should, therefore, be proud of this achievement as this is a notable milestone in our relationship with each other,” he asserted.

Vanguard News Nigeria