Eket…aftermath of the spill
From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar.
The People of oil rich Eket Local Government area in Akwa Ibom state Wednesday decried the non-establishment of the Oil Mineral Producing Communities Commission in the state as it called on America to intervene on the issue of oil spill in coastal areas.
But Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimted, operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC/MPN) joint venture in a reaction said they activated their emergency response system and contained the release with all relevant regulatory authorities and community leaders notified.
A communique made available to Journalists in Calabar at the end of the stakeholders meeting of the Eket People’s Union (EPU) and signed by the National President, Professor Asindi Asindi and the National Secretary; Elder Enobong Akpan said the time has come for the Akwa Ibom state government to set up the commission as it is the case in other Niger Delta states.
It stated that if such a commission is put in place, it will “enable the oil bearing/producing communities to access the 13 percent derivation meant for them”.
They also decried the use of the derivation revenue as part of the normal allocation to the states noting that, “13 percent derivation revenue which is a first line charge is actually meant for the development of the host communities and not for overhead cost by the government”.
On the issue of oil spill, the stakeholders appealed to the state government to assist them secure oil spill compensation from Mobil producing Nigeria (MPN)as it is the case elsewhere in the world.
They drew the attention of the Federal Government to yet another oil spill saying, “another oil spill has occurred since June 26, 2014 till the time of this report whereas compensation for 2008, 2010 and 2012 have not been paid up till now”.
Accordingly, they called on MPN to open up a line of negotiation for the payment of compensations for the various oil spills.
While calling on the American government to intervene in the oil spill issue, the stakeholders also called for the review of the moribund Memorandum of Understanding between the host communities and MPN “in a view to ensuring its full implementation while the role of government remains purely advisory”.
They resolved to work in collaboration with sister core oil producing local government areas of Ibeno and Onna “to pursue a common good for the well-being of the oil/mineral host communities of Akwa Ibom state”.
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