Farah Dagogo, the member of the House of Representatives representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency of Rivers State has raised the alarm over an alleged move by Total Group to relocate its servicing companies working in Egina offshore Field, Onne in Rivers States to Ladol Yard in Lagos State.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, the Lawmaker cautioned Total against the planned relocation, stressing that the move has the propensity “to flame the already worsening unemployment situation in Rivers state in particular, and the Niger Delta region at large.”
According to him, “the Egina offshore field, which is reputed to have the capacity to add 200,000 barrels of oil per day to Nigeria’s production at its peak has been operating efficiently in Rivers State over decades with and disruption of its operations.”
He also called on the Federal Government and the State Government to intervene and nip the ‘unwarranted relocation in the bud,’
He disclosed that” he has a prepared motion to present on the floor of the House which intends to compel International Oil Companies (IOCs), as well as the sector’s regulator and investment vehicle, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), to relocate their head offices to the states where they explore and exploit crude.”
He frowned at the laxity of government over its ‘unbridled attitude of being reactive instead of proactive’ to issues of this magnitude.
According to him, “I foresaw this scenario that was why I had a motion to that effect. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be presented on the floor of the House before we went on recess. It will definitely be presented after our recess.
“In the interim, however, there is a need for the Federal Government and the Rivers State government to step in now because I have credible information that the relocation of the servicing companies working on Egina Offshore Field, Onne, Rivers State by TOTAL Group to Ladol Yard in Lagos State is at an advanced stage
“We all know what this relocation portends to the volatile Niger Delta region. We need to do away with this our unbridled attitude of being reactive instead of proactive to issues of this magnitude. We should not wait for the problem to come before we start investing in avoidable logistics to resolve it. We should prevent it and this is one of those.
“How could these IOCs and the sectors regulatory and investment vehicle, DPR and NAPIMS respectively abandon the areas and states they explore and exploit crude for a supposedly safe haven. I surmise they could not stand the deprivation and bastardization of the environments they get their huge revenue from.
“For me, this relocation is one too many and this current one being pushed by Total Group will be swiftly resisted.”
