NNPC: Peace Returns To Rivers Community Following Mele Kyari’s Intervention

A long-lasting dispute which had prevented crude oil production in Akuku Toru community of Rivers State for over two years has finally come to an end following the intervention of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari.

Oil production had stopped at the OML-25, an oil and gas facility operated by SPDC on 11 August 2017 after residents of Kula Kingdom, in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State invaded the facility following disagreements with SPDC.

The community had since then occupied the facility, preventing staff of the company from carrying out any activity.

The community had shunned past efforts to resolve their grievances through dialogue but instead demanded the immediate transfer of ownership and operatorship of the facilities to their preferred indigenous oil firm, Belama Oil, saying that SPDC had over the years neglected the interests of the local community.

But peace returned to the community on Tuesday after Kyari brought all the parties together for reconciliation at the NNPC Towers, ending two years of hostilities.

Representatives of SPDC and the indigenous oil firm Belema Oil subsequently signed the peace deal brokered by the NNPC GMD.

The development is significant as it would bring peace to a restless community and allow oil production to resume.

The intervention of the NNPC would bring reassurance to a distraught community which had accused SPDC of failure to abide by the terms of an MOU earlier signed with the company which would have forced the company to pay N1.36 billion to the community before reopening of the flow station.

With the new deal, details of which are yet to be made public, the people of  Belema, Offoin-Ama and Ngeje in Kula Kingdom of Rivers State can now breath fresh air while the SPDC would be grateful to resume production at the facility.

The people will be happy that Kyari has not disappointed them.