Law is Law and must be respected, Komolafe tells Chevron and Host communities at Escravos Terminal

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission(NUPRC), has intervened in the dispute between some communities comprised in Chevron Nigeria Limited’s oil exploration and production area in Warri, Delta State and Chevron.

The Commission’s Chief Executive (CCE) Engr Gbenga Komolafe, at a meeting convened by the Commission at its Head Office in Abuja, while announcing the Commission’s resolutions after hearing from the disagreeing parties, directed the parties to maintain the status quo by ensuring peace in the operational area of the Company even as the resolutions issued by the Commission are being implemented to finally resolve the dispute.

The disagreement between the three communities of Ugborodo, Ugboegungun and Deghele all in Warri South-West Local Government of Delta State and Chevron, a fore most international oil company (IOC) operating in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, centred on the naming of the host community trust fund established by the company for the communities and the composition of its Board of Trustees.

Prior to the meeting which the Commission’s Chief Executive quickly convened to arrest the on/going situation in the area, the people of Ugborodo, Deghele and Ugboegungun, all of Delta state, were said to have staged a protest, accusing Chevron Nigeria limited of going against the petroleum industry act.

Having listened to submissions from both parties, the Commission's Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Engr Gbenga Komolafe, issued a regulatory position directing both parties to maintain peace, while issuing directives to Chevron on the resolution of the matter which must be complied with in two weeks.

Some of the directives issued by the NUPRC boss include-

The convening of consultation meetings by the company with the communities to be over seen by the Commission’s Warri Regional Office to agree on the proper delineation and naming of the trust fund in compliance with the PIA;

The recomposition of the Board of Trustees in compliance with an earlier directive of the Commission amongst All the resolutions and directives by the NUPRC boss are to be complied with by Chevron within two weeks and report of compliance fully signed by both parties presented to the Commision by the Company.

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