Wike Tasks Oil Firms On Host Communities’ Dev …Promises To Assist In Fight Against Oil Theft

L-R: National Vice President, Law Students Association of Nigeria, National Open University, Mrs Ajiboye Adenike, President, Paul Oyemike, National Vice President, Bassy Nwibani and National Director of Programmes, Mr Eugene Ogbonna, at the first national grand dinner in honour of Law graduates of the university in Abuja on Monday.

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has tasked oil companies to carry out more developmental projects in their host communities.
Wike gave the charge when he played host to the Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), Mr. Osagie Okunbor and other management staff in Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.
“You don’t have to do things out of compulsion and out of threat, because that is not the way it is supposed to be. I think that if we have a robust relationship, it is important to look inwards and see how you will be able to solve problems that are not much,” Wike noted.
The governor told the Shell management that giving priority to their corporate social responsibilities will go a long way in soothing the nerves of people, and at the same time provide conducive environment for them to carry out their operations.
The governor further challenged the multinational oil firm to include indigenes in its divesting plans and sale of its onshore wells as Rivers State has individuals with technical and financial capacities to acquire some of the oil wells.
In addition, Wike stressed the need for Shell to partner with the state government in providing infrastructure for the speedy development of the state.
The state chief executive assured his guests that government will provide the enabling environment by beefing up security to make sure that everybody doing business in the state is protected, stressing that it will further encourage investors to come into the state.
Assuring them of efforts to assist the Federal Government in tackling the issue of oil theft, Wike disclosed that already, plans are in top gear to deliver the two armoured surveillance helicopters purchased by the state government to the Federal Government.
“We believe that when they come in, Shell will partner with us to see how those armoured helicopters can be utilized to check oil theft,” he said.
In his speech, the Shell Managing Director, Osagie Okunbor, lauded the governor for creating a conducive environment for the company to do business.
With its headquarters located in the state, Okunbor solicited the sustenance of a long standing relationship between the company and the government.
Lamenting the rise in oil theft, the country chair called on the state government to assist in arresting the menace and also ensure the spread of development projects in oil-bearing communities to reduce the spate of agitation from restive youth and community leaders.