Traditional Rulers from seven Communities of the Yenagoa and Ogbia Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State yesterday rejected an order by the State’s Deputy Governor, Werinipre Seibarogu for the communities to sign a new Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), warning that any attempt to forcefully make the communities sign the GMoU will lead to violent reaction and stoppage of oil exploration in the area.
Seibarogu, represented by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Oil and Gas,Mr.Ebi Bello, had, while delivering a speech at the closing ceremony of the Gbarain-Ubie Integrated Oil and Gas Project, urged the leaders and traditional heads of the concerned communities to sign a new GMoU being delayed over the demands by the communities for a new development plan by the oil company.
The aggrieved traditional rulers, made up of the Paramount Ruler of Emeya, King George Lawson, the Obienibe of Epie Kingdom, King Mala Sasime and the traditional ruler of Gbarain Kingdom, King? Funpere Akah in their separate speeches at the event argued that the 2005 agreement signed with the SPDC on the Integrated Oil and Gas Project was not properly implemented.
The traditional ruler of Emeya community in Ogbia Local Government Council area of the state, King George Lawson insisted that the 2005 GMoU signed with SPDC did not produce expected development plans.He complained that the SPDC is using the officials of the State Government to impose the terms of agreement in the GMoU on the people of the area.