Bipi’s Committee’s Report Indicts Firm

Activities at the Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) last week commenced with a plenary at the hallowed chamber of the House in Port Harcourt.
The plenary was the only prominent event among the activities of the Assembly in the week.
The session, which was held, last Tuesday, had a committee report as the only relevant issue discussed on the floor of the House.
The report was presented by the Chairman of a Joint Committee, Hon Evans Bipi, a committee that comprises Public Complaints and Petitions, Public Accounts, Finance, Environment and Energy and Natural Resources committees.
The joint committee was earlier set up by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani to look into protests by some communities in Ahoada East, Emohua, and Abua/Odual local government areas of Rivers State over insensitivity of the Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Company (NDPR) in the area.
Presenting the report, Bipi who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions recommended that NDPR should henceforth comply with the Local Content Act and Rivers State Employment Law to ensure that employment opportunities are given to host communities in the area.
The report also indicted the company for disregarding the earlier Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with the communities which led to lack of employment opportunities, social amenities, scholarships, among others in the area.
The speaker of the House, Rt Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani commended the committee for a job well-done, he adjourned the debate on the report to August 2, 2017 when the next plenary is expected to hold.
The adjournment is to enable lawmakers involved in election tribunal to handle their cases without hindrance.

Enoch Epelle