By Festus Ahon

ASABA—NIGERIAN Petroleum Development Company, NPDC and First Hydrocarbon Nigeria Joint Venture, FHN, have signed a Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU, with host communities in Delta State in Oil Mining Lease, OML 26.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, which was negotiated by the state government, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Peter Mrakpor, expressed optimism that the NPDC/FHN in the Asset Management of OML 26 will be beneficial to the host communities and encourage other investors in the oil and gas sector to invest in the state.

Reiterating the state government’s position in promoting and boosting economic and investment activities, Mrakpor maintained that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration was irrevocably committed to providing the necessary peaceful, conducive and business friendly environment for investors and operators in the oil and gas sector.

He charged the Asset Management Team of OML 26 to be responsive in dealing with its host communities by showing  understanding and transparency, expressing the hope that the marriage of both companies where NDPC and FHN have 55 percent and 45 percent equity holdings respectively in OML 26 would be for the good of all.

The GMoU set out the obligations on the side of the host communities involving four clusters of oil producing and pipeline communities with three ethnic nationalities of Isoko, Urhobo, and Ndokwa and NPDC/FHN.

The host communities in the GMoU had agreed to undertake all reasonable and necessary actions to provide a peaceful, conducive and enabling environment within the communities for the smooth operations of the companies, their personnel, contractors and agents without disturbance, interference, threat or disruption.