The Delta State Government has directed Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) to immediately issue a Purchase Order (PO) for the supply of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) to communities under the Agge Bayelsa and Delta Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) Board.
According to an official statement signed by the Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Hon. (Chief) Peter Uviejitobor, SEEPCO is to supply up to one million litres of AGO through vendors nominated by the GMOU Board, beginning from September 2025.
The directive, the statement noted, followed a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, involving representatives of the Ministry of Oil and Gas and the Agge Delta and Bayelsa GMOU Board, where demands and expectations of host communities were reviewed.
Beyond AGO supply, SEEPCO was further instructed to provide three vessels to the GMOU Board and to commence negotiations for the renewal of the expired GMOU within 60 days.
The Ministry of Oil and Gas will oversee the negotiation process to ensure transparency and accountability.
The Ministry also emphasized that Agge Delta must receive its full 30 percent quota under the existing surveillance contract arrangement, as part of broader measures to strengthen community participation in safeguarding oil facilities.
The statement stressed:
“Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) is directed to: issue a Purchase Order for the supply of AGO in quantity not exceeding one million litres to the GMOU Board’s nominated vendors from September 2025; make available three vessels to the GMOU Board; commence negotiations for the renewal of the expired GMOU within 60 days, under the supervision of the Ministry of Oil and Gas; and ensure that Agge Delta benefits its 30% quota in the surveillance contract.”
The Commissioner underscored that compliance with the directive is mandatory.
Copies of the directive were also sent to the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja; the Delta State Police Command, Asaba; and the Department of State Services (DSS), Delta State Command.
Correspondents report that the move signals a renewed push by the Delta State Government to strengthen accountability, stability, and shared benefits in oil-bearing communities, particularly under the GMOU framework, a key instrument for managing relations between host communities and oil companies in the Niger Delta.
