Again, HOSTCON Threatens To Shut Down NPDC Operations In Delta

SAN FRANCISCO, August 09, (THEWILL) – Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCON) in Oil Mining Licence, OMLs 30, 34 and 65, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) over what it alleged as a breach of an agreement by the management of oil firm.

The group warned that the one-week ultimatum was to enable NPDC fully implement all the agreed terms in the June 30 resolution, failure of which the group threatens to shut down all NPDC operations in OMLs 30, 34 and 65.

In a warning letter addressed to the Managing Director of NPDC, signed by Comrade Efe Okovwurie, Comrade Morrister Idibra, Chief Edegware David, Mr. Wilson Kokarhaye, among others, the group alleged that NPDC deliberately refused to implement the resolution reached by HOSTCOM and its representatives on 30th June, 2015.

“It is very sad to note that up till the time of writing this letter, NPDC has flagrantly violated the terms of agreement by not implementing the content of the resolution except for the payment of N200,000,000 into the OML30 GMoU Account for which NPDC is still owing N1 billion.

“Salaries of community workers in OMLs 30, 34 and 65 which are in arrears of between 6-9 months for which NPDC promised to clear the backlog within two weeks from the date of resolution are yet to be paid, which has led to serious tension across the affected communities”, the group added.

HOSTCON also warned NPDC to shun any move to reduce the 20 percent mark-up attached to contracts being handled by indigenous contractors to 15 percent, adding that such will instigate crisis in the host communities and create more troubles for NPDC.