The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has issued a two-week ultimatum to Chevron Nigeria Limited and the oil-rich Ugborodo communities in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State inside which to resolve their dispute on the institution of Host Community Development Trust.
This was contained in a letter with Reference Number: NUPRC/WZO/HSEC.004/15/2023/39, dated December 4, 2023, and signed by Ogannubi. O.B. on behalf of NUPRC Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe.
The content material of the letter was learn by Alex Eyengho to indigenes of Ugborodo Federated Communities at a congress held in Ode-Ugborodo city corridor on Tuesday.
According to the letter, the ultimatum adopted an earlier assembly held in Abuja between the administration of NUPRC with Chevron Nigeria Limited and Escravos Communities, together with Ugborodo, Deghele, Ugboegungun, Dibi, Olero and a consultant from the Olu of Warri Palace.
NUPRC, within the letter, “warned the host communities and CNL to return to status quo prior to hostilities, maintain peace, order and ensure the absence of crisis at Escravos terminal.”
The letter learn additional, “CNL is to convene a gathering to be midwifed by the fee, Warri Regional Office, to look at intently how the delineation of the host communities was performed to make sure it was in accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
“The composition of the HCDT Board of Trustees must be amicably thrown open by the host communities whereas all events should mutually work out a components to pick the 9 members.
“The settler and the host communities ought to re-examine the title(s) and unanimously resolve on the title(s) for HCDT.
“That Chevron Nigeria Limited transmitted to the commission a report on the implementation of the rulings in (i-iv) above within two weeks. The report should be fully signed and certified by representatives of both parties, CNL and the host communities.”
While confirming the report of NUPRC’s two-week ultimatum to the neighborhood and Chevron to resolve their dispute, a pacesetter within the Ugborodo neighborhood, Alex Eyengho, advised journalists that “the people of Ugborodo community are not backing out of the matter as time is already ticking before the two-week ultimatum ends.”
Eyengho added, “Chevron Nigeria Limited has been directed to fulfill with the Ugborodo neighborhood inside two weeks and represent the nine-member board of trustees and agree with the neighborhood on the title the host neighborhood must be referred to as.
“We have said what we want is Ikpere Host Community Development Trust.”
Eyengho expressed the hope that Chevron would obey the fee’s directive.
Also talking with journalists, one other Ugborodo neighborhood chief, Perry Atete, corroborated Eyengho’s claims and lauded NUPRC “for taking steps to resolve the dispute between Ugborodo Federated Communities and Chevron Nigeria Limited”.