….As Communities Threaten to Shut Oil operations
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The House of Representatives Committee on Environment is investigating Shell Petroleum Development Company and Exxon Mobil over their alleged breach of a joint venture partnership agreement between the federal government and the oil-bearing communities of Akwa Ibom State.
The House of Representatives had in October 27, 2011, passed a motion raised by Hon. Robinson Uwak(PDP/Oron), mandating five of its committees to look into allegations that five Oron communities were excluded on the list of oil-bearing communities by a joint venture partnership agreement.
Besides the alleged neglect, the House has also embarked on a thorough environment hazard assessment mission to determine the extent of damage oil exploitation in the Oron community has caused the people there.
The chairman of the House Committee, Hon. Uche Ekwunife, who leads the joint committee carrying out the probe, said the House would go to any extent to ensure the Oron Federal Constituency is duly recognized and treated as an oil-bearing community in the Niger Delta.
“We would not mind bringing the full force of the law to bear on our assignment to correct the injustice to Oron people. We went round the communities in Oron Federal Constituency and we saw the degradation there” she said.
She added: “It is expected that companies should invest in communities where they reside. When environmental degradation goes on, we are committed to protecting our environment. The House would make sure that those who pollute our environment and deny communities their due rights do not go unpunished.”
At an earlier meeting with the committee, the paramount head of the Oron Federal Constituency, His Royal Highness? Edidem Etim Ati Okpo said that “the entire area of Oron nation sits on petroleum-oil and gas. These include cocked oil wells throughout the length and breadth of our land”.