The oil-bearing communities in the Nembe Council Area of Bayelsa State have described as fraudulent the Global Memorandum of Understanding drawn by the International Oil Companies operating in their areas.
The communities said this at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission, in Yenagoa.
Our correspondent reports that the commission is holding a week-long interactive engagement with stakeholders in the eight local government areas of the state.
The Amayanabo of Dorguama, King Loveday Emina, said the GMoUs were deceitful, adding that most of the multinational oil companies were not ready to abide by the letters of the agreement.
He said, “The GMoUs are mere fallacies. The oil companies are only deceiving the communities with the documents and will not be ready to clean up the environment when there is a spill or even provide necessary amenities for the people.
“The GMoU has never worked in any community in Bayelsa State. When I was nominated by my community as one of the negotiators of the GMoU, I thought we would sit down and discuss.
“Unfortunately, the Shell Petroleum Development Company had already prepared a document for us to read and sign. They said we should not ask for anything other than what was in the document.
“We were not allowed to state our problems because they claim to know them more than us. Nothing has since been done by SPDC and our people are suffering.
“Our youths are jobless and are now resorting to militancy and other vices that are inimical to society. Poverty is really biting us.
“The nightlife that we used to enjoy through gathering together for folktales has gone because of the fear of attack by our own people.”
A Community Leader from the Okoroma Clan, Mr Derry Patrick, accused the oil companies of using the revenue derived from the oil exploration in their area to develop other areas, while the community where oil was first drilled in Nigeria was totally neglected.