Threats to shutdown the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, has been issued by twelve dissatisfied communities in Bayelsa state over the SPDC’s handling of its relationship with the host communities.
The communities in a meeting attended by all Community Development Committee, CDC, Chairmen and other stakeholders of the EA field host communities, accused the SPDC of ignoring and reneging on the agreements contained in the General Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU, signed by both parties, the host communities and the SPDC.
Further to the cause of the host communities, threats have been issued to stage a protest against the oil company on the alleged grounds that the SPDC has failed to sign and honour surveillance contracts which has been reduced from the earlier agreed 12 months to nine months.
The Chairman, EA Host Communities Chairmen Forum, Ebimobowei Deboh, in a communique said: “SPDC should pay up all the GMOU fund, late and current tranches and also the defaulters’ fees with the peace bonus to all clusters in the EA field operations.
“Since the inception of the EA field, SPDC has refused to give opportunities to our contractors to participate in the main stream jobs under the spirit of local content, despite the numerous contracts that run the day to day activities in the EA field such as standby vessels, servicing/shuttling vessels, crew boats, take-off/ mooring vessels, AGO supply, food/catering services, waste management, well-head maintenance and painting/ sand blasting.”