By Peregba Jerry
The Federal Government has ordered Chevron Nigeria Limited to resolve the disputes between the oil firm and communities within the company’s Warri exploration and production area in Delta State, over the composition and naming of the Host Communities Trust Fund.
It also urged both parties in the dispute to maintain the peace, pending the resolution of the matter, stressing that it was determined to ensure that the fit and proper thing was done immediately.
The dispute between Chevron and the Ugbororo, Ugbegugun and Dembele communities in Warri South Local Government of the state is over the naming of the host community trust fund established for the communities and the composition of its Board of Trustees.
People from the three communities were reported to have staged a protest in the Escravos Terminal area, accusing Chevron of going against the Petroleum Industry Act (2021).
At a meeting with the feuding parties at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Chief Executive of NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, directed the oil firm to resolve the matter in two weeks, according to a statement issued by the agency on Wednesday.
The statement read in part, “Having listened to the submissions of the parties, Komolafe issued a regulatory position and directed Chevron on the resolution of the matter which must be implemented within two weeks. He emphasised that the law which was very explicit on the matter in contention must be obeyed by all the parties concerned.
“Among other directives, Komolafe called for the immediate convening of consultation meetings with the communities on the proper delineation and naming of the fund in compliance with the PIA and the re-composition of the Board of Trustees in line with an earlier directive of the commission.”
The commission stated that the process, which must be supervised by its Warri Regional Office, was expected to be finalised and the report sent to the NUPRC within two weeks.
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