Lawmaker representing Yenagoa Constituency three in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon Teddy Eleme-Furo, has sued for peace between the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and youths of his constituency over feud resulting from alleged unimplementation of GMoU in oil host communities of the area.
The Tide learnt that trouble started in Ikarama community a few days ago, when Youths of the area intercepted a moving equipment believed to belong to the oil major, demanding for settlement and implementation of terms of agreement contained in their GMoU with the company.
The Tide further learnt that upon the refusal of the multinational to do so, the youths punctured the tyres of the vehicle, resulting in retaliation by the company which invited the military and other security operatives to contain the situation.
Speaking against this backdrop, the lawmaker said the only panacea to development was peace, calling on the multinational and the communities of the area to have a common understanding for peace to reign.
Eleme-Furo, who also condemned attempts by oil companies operating in the area to flagrantly disrespect their GMoUs with their host communities, said the environmental hazards committed in the area were taking a toll on the people.
He called on the leadership of host communities in the area to continue pleading with youths of the area to shield their swords, noting that the prosperity government of Governor Douye Diri had promised to henceforth monitor the signing and implementation of GMoUs in the State.
“Recently too I was part of the committee from the state House of Assembly who accompanied the state Commissioner for Environment and some federal lawmakers to visit sites of oil spills across the state”, he said.
“We visited my constituency and you just need to see the extent of environmental pollution there. It’s so bad that oil majors operating in our areas wouldn’t honour these GMoUs”, he added.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa