There was tension in Delta State on Wednesday as it was the last of a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), operators of the NPDC/Elcrest Joint Venture, by Polobubo (Tesekelewu) Community over oil exploitation and dredging activities reportedly threatening the community.
In a statement by the community on Wednesday, made available to journalists in Asaba, titled: “Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community Ultimatum to NPDC/El-Crest JV Management Subsists”, the people warned that there had been no positive response from the oil company since the ultimatum was issued to warrant reciding the decision.
The statement, signed by Dr. Bright Abulu, President-General, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community, Rev. Clement Doyah Tiemo, General Secretary and Mr. Christmas Ukugha, the public relations officer (PRO) of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community’s National Executive Council, said that “the ultimatum stands”.
“Recall that refusal of management of NPDC/El-crest for peaceful resolution of the issue of the negative impact of past and ongoing dredging activities on Tsekelewu community and waterways prompted Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community’s national executive council to address a press conference in Warri and to issue a seven-day ultimatum to NPDC/El-Crest on January 19, 2022, which expires on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. That ultimatum stands.
“We want to inform the management of NPDC/El-Crest/JV management and the Delta State Government, the Federal Government and the international community that the issues that made us to address the press conference have not been addressed or attended to because NPDC has refused to dialogue.
“That nobody should blame Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community if NPDC/El-Crest JV operations be disrupted or halted.
“Tsekelewu is a peaceful community hence this request for the government intervention as presented at the press conference, in order to avoid pending shutdown of NPDC/El-crest operations, which NPDC/Elcrest JV management’s refusal for dialogue could precipitate or cause. A stitch in time saves nine”, the statement said.
The statement further explained that Tsekelewu, which is host to NPDC/El-Crest JV in OML40 in Opuama Flowstation, “is an autonomous community and headed by the Polobubo (Tsekelewu) National Council (The PNC) which is the highest decision making body. We have a duly approved and endorsed constitution in Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community that governs our activities.”
“The people of Polobubo Community of Egbema kingdom in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, had on Wednesday, January 19, 2022, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the NPDC over the company’s dredging activity, which it said was threatening to shut the Polobubo community from the rest of the world.
Specifically, the community demanded that the NPDC should, within seven days, consider and accept their request for peaceful dialogue with the host community to address the critical issues about the dredging process.
According to Dr Abulu, President-General, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community National Executive Council-Host Community to Opuama Flowstation, “the indiscriminate dredging activities in the area by the NPDC has created an emergency situation for the people” as the only channel in the waterway for people going out and coming in was being silted by the ongoing dredging by text NPDC.
“We wish to bring to your attention the emergency situation we have found ourselves as a community due to NPDC past and current dredging and oil & gas operations in the Opuama Flowstation and Polobubo (Tsekelewu) community axis and the refusal of the company to honor several invitations for a meeting with the Community leadership on how to address the hazardous effects of its dredging and sweeping operations on the access Waterways to Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community”, Abulu said.
He said that the action of the community was predicated on the failure of the NPDC to respond to letters sent by the community in the last five or six weeks.
The Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community National Executive Council of the Host Community to Opuama Flow-Station had written to the NPDC Management on December 9, 2021 “requesting for a meeting to proffer solution on the negative impact of past and ongoing dredging activities on Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community and other sundry issues relating to its operations.”
On efforts towards peaceful dialogue, the community’s president-general said, “A reminder letter was written on December 24, 2021 and was acknowledged by same office on December 31, 2021, but again there was no response. A third letter was sent on January 5, 2022 and acknowledged on the 7th, in which the national security agencies and the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, were copied, calling for a meeting to hold on January 10, 2022.
“Regrettably, as we speak, there has been no response from the company. NPDC/Elcrest have refused/failed to honor Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community invitations to a meeting intended to proffer solutions to the negative impact of the dredging of the main waterways on mobility and economic activities of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community. Yet the dredging project is going on unabated to the extent that an oil well drilling Rig has been moved into our territory to carry out extensive drilling operations.
“Consequent upon the inexplicable silence of the company, it has become imperative to call this press conference to alert the Management of NPDC, Delta State Government, Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Community of the danger our people are facing and the imminent physical blockade of the Community waterways as a result of artificial siltation and drying up of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Community waterways by NPDC/Elcrest past and ongoing dredging activities, which is about to cut us off from the rest of the world. As you all know, our transportation system is by waterways; and, now that we are practically grounded as a result of the operations of NPDC/Elcrest, we can no longer remain silent.
“The nation and international community, therefore, is put on notice by this press conference, that at the expiration of the seven day ultimatum on January 26, 2022 and the issues remain unresolved, we will be left with no other alternative but to shut down the NPDC/El-Crest operations within our God-given territory in OML 40.”
