CHAIRMAN, Isoko South Local Government of Delta State, Hon. Itiako Ikpokpo, has called for the immediate disengagement of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, HEOSL, operators of the Oil Mining Lease, OML 30.
According to Ikpokpo, the call has become necessary due to unabated operational misconduct and deliberate refusal to implement provisions of the Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMOU entered into with host communities.
Ikpokpo in a statement issued on Monday in Oleh, said HEOSL has become mindlessly irresponsible in her relationship with host communities and has reneged on virtually all of its commitment to host communities, a situation he noted has brought about unrest, tension and chaos in the communities with ripple effect on the governance of the State and Local Government.
Ikpokpo who is also the Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON in Delta State, maintained that several attempts have been made by the Isoko South Local Government and other critical stakeholders to intervene between the community and host communities but to no avail.
“HEOSL have become an existential threat to the peace and security of the Local Government, breeding palpable anger and tension in communities where they operate in Isoko South.
“We have severally made effort to intervene and foster robust company-community relations, but the company has proven to be most untrustworthy, treacherous and unreliable.
“As Chief Security Officer of the Local Government, I am therefore left with no choice than to call on the Honourable Minister of Petroleum and relevant authorities of the Federal and State Governments to immediately withdraw the services of HEOSL as operators of the OML 30 asset. It is the only way to regain host communities confidence in the exploration of crude oil in their areas.”
“HEOSL can no longer be trusted to manage the asset. The earlier they are kicked out, the better for the peace and security of the Local Government,” he said.
