…Charges SPDC On Afam Power Plant

The Rivers State
House of Assembly has directed the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to as matter of urgency, conclude the signing of the new Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with the people of Oyigbo on the planned “C” Inspection Contract of Afam V1 Power Plant in the State.
This was contained in a report submitted by the House Committee Chairman on Public Complaints and Petitions, Hon. Evans Bipi on Tuesday at the plenary session of the House in Port Harcourt.
Oyigbo youth in Rivers State recently petitioned to the State House of Assembly on alleged attempt by SPDC and its contractors to sideline the people of Oyigbo Local Government Area from the new planed “C” Inspection Contract of Afam V1 Power Plant.
The youth also alleged that SPDC refused to sign the MoU with the people of the area and that there was no permanent staff from Oyigbo in the SPDC project in the area.
In the House Committee’s submission, the Chairman, Evans Bipi said it is true that SPDC and its contractors have no functional GMoU with the people of Oyigbo on the project, and that even the expired SPDC GMoU with the youth council of the area was not properly represented.
On that note, the committee recommended that SPDC should, as matter of urgency, conclude the signing of a new GMoU with the people as well as consider the youth of the area for employment.
The committee also recommended that Oyigbo youth should allow SPDC and its contractors to commence the “C” inspection project with the employment exercise already conducted as it covered the host and the impacted communities in the area.
The 8th Assembly commended the Oyigbo youth and SPDC for maintaining the path of peace and understanding in the area.
The Speaker, of the House, Rt. Hon. Adams Dabotorudima thanked the committee for its findings, assuring that the House would do justice to the report in the next sitting.