WARRI/Nigeria: The Amalgamated Niger Delta Force has alleged that certain cabals in NNPC have concluded plans to relocate Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) to Abuja.
This was contained in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari titled: ‘The Cabals Final Slot to Relocate Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) To Abuja ‘ made available to the press dated Tuesday April 23rd, 2019.
In the letter that was signed by Abel Peretubor (Coordinator General), Chief Temi Ayemi (Interface Ethnics Coordinator), Hon Okpako Ovie (Diaspora Affairs) Comrade Ogaga Onoriode (Planning & Logistics), Mr Tombra Ototo (Mobilizing Coordinator) and Sir Bemigho Edah (Infor/Statistics Coordinator), the group recalled that the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osibanjo while he acted as the President of the country, gave a directive that all oil and gas companies should relocate their headquarters to their host communities due to the absence of these companies in the oil producing companies in terms of developments, alleging that the said cabals kicked against the directives, hence the directive was jettisoned.
The group also alleged that managements of NNPC and NGMC attempted to take over properties of SPDC and that their attempt was resisted by host communities, prompting NNPC and NGMC to labelled the said oil communities as hostile communities.
The Amalgamated Niger Delta Force in the letter disclosed that managements of the said companies visited a first class traditional ruler in the Warri area over the issue and that the traditional ruler waded into the matter and assured the companies of their safe operations in his domain “Upon His Royal Majesty’ s waiting and assurance of safety and security, MGMC further planned to relocate MGMC headquarters to Lagos after which there was divided interest between Yorubas and Hausas that led to a twist on the matter.
“The Hausa cabal is now bent on relocating and moving the headquarters of NGMC from Warri to Abuja Central Business District at the detriment of the people of Delta State and indeed Southern Nigeria from where gas is produced.”
Relaying on its intelligent findings, the group alleged that a memo dated 3rd April, 2019 was written to a top management staff (names withheld) in the Engineering and Technical Service Department in MGMC to the Managing Director MK Barau seeking the chief operating officer Gas and Power endorsement vis avis from the Group Managing Director approval for the imminent relocation of NGMC to Abuja.
It further alleged that in the said memo, the sum of 120 million naira per annum was budgeted for rent purposes to effect the relocation of headquarters of NGMC to Abuja “from a budget code that has 294 million naira (2019) for this evil agenda implementation.”
The group alleged further that in the 5 page memo, Warri was described as insecure place for management meetings “Yet the oil and gas are not insecure to be extracted from Warri soil. It is this vein that SPDC Ogunu premises had been jettisoned instead of working a way with the community to take possession of the premises.”
The group then asked, if NGC/NGMC recorded any security challenges over the years or if customers of NGC/ NGMC were barred from operating/ coming to Warri or if any NGC/ NGMC staff was barred from going to work in Warri or if NGC/ NGMC has not been making profit over the years in Warri?
The Amalgamated Niger Delta Force in the letter proudly noted that NGC/ NGMC and NPDC remain the cash cow of NNPC operating in Edo / Delta states and that since 1990, there has been no security challenges in Warri adding that NGC/ NGMC declared billions of naira as profit to sustain the economy of Nigeria
“The major gas facilities are in the Niger Delta. All gas up takes even to other West African countries are principally from the Niger Delta.
OWEB ( Odidi – Warri Expansion) project that is about to kick off will derive its supplies from Warri, Delta State
“Your completed OB³ Project is from Rivers State in Niger Delta
“Your AKK ( Ajaokuta- Kaduna- Kanu ) gas pipeline and future expansion to the northern areas will surely depend on gas from Niger Delta just as Kaduna Refinery depends on Warri for supply of crude oil.”
The group then cautioned that any attempt to relocate the said companies from the Warri area to either Lagos or Abuja will further impoverish Niger Delta economy which the group noted was striving to improve due to the present Federal Government efforts of bringing peace and development, noting further that relocation of headquarters of NGMC to Lagos or Abuja would adversely affect the OWEB Odidi – Warri Gas expansion project.
The Amalgamated Niger Delta Force in its open letter to President Buhari expressed concern that the alleged plan relocation of NGMC to Lagos or Abuja may lead to actions that could adversely affect the economy of Nigeria ” the entire Niger Delta youths and The Amalgamated Niger Delta Force members are watching and we prepared to resist this economic injustice by the cabals.”
The group however suggested that monies budgeted for the alleged planned relocation of NGMC to Abuja should be used to renovate parts of SPDC properties for immediate occupation and that the fallow lands in the present headquarters of Nigerian Gas Company ( NGC) should be developed to accommodate the two companies ie Nigerian Gas Company ( NGC) and Nigerian Gas Marketing Company ( NGMC) to avoid payment on rents.
While calling on President Buhari to direct all oil and gas companies to relocate their headquarters from Lagos or Abuja to their host communities in the Niger Delta, the group vowed to give NGC /NGMC every moral support for sustainable development with a view to attracting investors to the Niger Delta area provided the NGC/ NGMC are not relocated to Lagos or Abuja.
Efforts to reach managements of both NGC and NGMC to comment on the allegations contain in the open letter of The Amalgamated Niger Delta Force to President Buhari proved abortive at as the time of filling this report.
However it would be recalled that some youths from oil and gas bearing communities staged a peaceful protest on the said allegations to the premises of NGC/NGMC on January 7th, 2019 and the management of NGMC through the Executive Director Assets Management and Technical Services (EDAM/TS) Engineer E. A Akinsanya denied the allegations before the Delta State Commissioner for Oil and Gas Hon Freedom Fregene and the press.
