Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, took swipes at the founder of Belema Oil Producing Limited, Mr Jackrich Tein, describing him as a fraudulent businessman.
There were allegations by stakeholders in Kula Communities that Tein was responsible for the shutting down of OML 25 operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.
The oil field was shut down for two years starting from August 2017 to September 2019 by the women of the community who accused SPDC of not developing the community.
Also Read: MEND leader, Henry Okah back in court
An attempt by the Rivers State Government to wade into the matter was rebuffed by the community’s chiefs who accused Wike of working with Shell to scuttle the take over of the OML by the indigenous Belema Oil.
Stakeholders said that the disagreement between Wike and Tein goes deeper than the OML 25 politics, adding that Tein was suspected to have supported the former candidate of the African Action Congress during the 2019 gubernatorial election, Awara Biakpomabo.
Awara who is from the same town as Tein was used by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in their failed bid to remove Wike from office.
But peaking during a Solidarity Visit by the Ogbakor Etche on Tuesday at the Government House Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said the efforts of the Rivers State Government are geared towards ensuring that the communities get the best from the acquisition of OML 11.
He said: “What Rivers State Government wants is for the interest of our state to be protected. Whoever that is coming to take over will have the interest of the communities protected.
Also Read: Ogbakor Etche backs acquisition of OML 11 by RSG, asks government to acquire OML 17
“When the communities are part owners of OML 11, there will be peace. But some people sit down and engage in unnecessary propaganda. ”
Governor Wike said that the acquisition of OML 11 is the height of resource control struggle.
He urged Ogoni people to appreciate the efforts of the Rivers State Government in this regard.
“When you talk about resource control, this is is resource control. Instead of Ogoni people to thank us, they are allowing criminals, charlatans to go on radio and talk, with their leaders pretending not to be aware when they know.
“They talk as if OML 11 belongs to them alone, which is not correct. Etche, Bonny, Oyigbo, Ogu/Bolo and Okrika are part of OML 11”, he said.
On the OML 25 which was eventually given to Shell Petroleum Development Company by the Federal Government, Governor Wike stated that a “fraudulent businessman” claimed that the Federal Government would grant him the license of the facility. He noted that when it turned out that he was lying, the State Government worked with stakeholder communities to ensure that their interests were protected.
Governor Wike said it turned out that the businessman who sponsored falsehood on OML 25 was merely seeking surveillance and labour supply contracts from Shell Petroleum Development Company.
