Trouble looms in Delta as NDLF vows to halt oil operations in OML42 in rejection of GMoU

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By Binebai Princewill

There seems to be trouble in OML 42, Odidi flow station in Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State over sharp disagreement between members of Odidi community and officials of Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC/ NECONDE JV, handlers of the oil facility over signing of Global Memorandum of understanding, GMoU.

Chairman of the Odidi chapter of the Niger Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, Comr. James Okundopagha, alias Don Banky made the group’s position known to newsmen in Warri via a statement issued to newsmen, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspaper.

The Odidi chapter leader of NDLF stated that they are rejecting the GMoU, stating that if the GMoU is signed and it becomes operational, it would amount to another form of slavery.

“We have been enslaved for ages, we don’t want to continue and knowing fully well that signing anything under the GMoU would amount to slavery, that is why we have resolved to join forces with aggrieved members of the community to shutdown the Odidi flowstation tomorrow, you just cannot impose GMoU on us, we don’t want it”.

However, chairman of NDLF, Don Banky particularly warned NPDC/NECONDE JV to suspend any surreptitious move with whatever group in the community to sign the GMoU, adding that the intended GMoU remains rejected by well meaning individuals of the community and any step to upturn such collective decision by the people will be resisted by all means.

Meanwhile, Banky decried the high level of under development that have long engulfed the oil bearing community, stressing that it is pathetic that Odidi flow station is producing over 20 thousand barrels of crude oil per day and hosting over 100 oil wells remains shamefully underdeveloped.

The youth leader noted that Odidi community in Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State began oil production in 1962 with Shell Petroleum Development Company handling the oil facility to 2012.

Comr. Okundopagha asserted that SPDC handed over OML 42 to Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC/NECONDE JV in 2012 till date.

Banky particularly noted that it would rather want a simple Memorandum of Understanding, MoU that will create room for massive development of the long neglected area.

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