How N1bn GMoU Fund Triggered Crisis In Kula …Chevron Fingered …Youth Faction Seeks Probe

The fragile peace in Kalabari Kingdom has been threatened as the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) implementation signed between Chevron Nigeria Limited and Kula Community in Rivers State is now enmeshed in serious crisis.
This follows allegation of N1billion fraud in the system by an aggrieved section of the community.
Tension had mounted as a faction of the community led by Hope Dan Opusingi alleged the diversion of a whopping N1billion for the GMoU implementation and  staged a defiant protest at Chevron corporate office in the Trans-Amadi area of Port Harcourt last week, demanding a probe of the regional development council led by Mr Stanley Benibo.
But in a swift reaction, chairman of the Kula Regional Development Council, Mr Stanley Benibo said the allegations were unfounded and frivolous.
Benibo, who spoke  with The Tide in an interview, said the Kula Regional Development Council which manages the GMoU process, operated in a structure that involves all stakeholders.
Benibo, who is also the Vice chairman of Akuklu Toru Local Government Area, further said that as chairman of Kula Regional Development Council he was not a sole signatory to the GMoU account as the process was transparent and comprises representatives of the Rivers State Government through the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, Chevron GMoU team leader and  the Akuku Toru LGA representative.
Benibo assured that his tenure as RDC chairman will also be  based on accountability and transparency, which according to him, is the  hallmark of the GMoU process.
A senior Chevron source who pleaded anonymity also confirmed that most of the allegations were unture. The source disclosed that a meeting has been scheduled in Government House with the aggrieved parties on Wednesday 7th August, 2013, to address the burning issues.
It would be recalled that frontline members of the protesting group were in full attendance at the last annual general meeting of the Kula RDC in Kula at which audit reports and accounts were rendered.
The Tide gathered that the GMoU process is a community engagement model between Chevron and communities hosting its cluster of operations.
However, The Tide learnt that the outcome of the August 7th meeting with the stakeholders will determine the prospect of peace and the overall GMoU implementation in Kula.