The host communities in Rivers State, such as Agudakiri (Agudama) and Oluama, are threatening to bring an end to the operation of OML 25 because they feel that the company operating in the region, Renaissance Africa Energy Nigeria Limited, is deliberately keeping them out of the profits of oil operations in their community.
The communities argued that they had been victims of discrimination for more than 45 years by the former Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and later by Renaissance.
Addressing his people on behalf of all the affected communities, HRH King Emmanuel Alalibo Gould-Ekeke II, Amanyanabo of the Ibiame/Agudame Group of Communities in Kula Kingdom, stated that his people were indeed the owners of Oil Block 2, which is part of the three blocks forming Kula Kingdom.
The monarch alleged that both SPDC and Renaissance deliberately excluded his community from benefiting from operations in their domain, previously citing a lack of awareness. However, he said the community has now gained the knowledge and capacity to challenge what he described as a long-standing injustice.
He called on Renaissance to carry out a thorough investigation to verify their claims and include them in the Akuku-Toru Host Community Development Board and Trust (AHCDBT), maintaining that they meet the requirements of Clause 234 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
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He warned that failure to address their grievances could lead to a shutdown of oil operations, adding that there is already a looming second closure of the OLUA OML 25 facility once activities resume. He attributed this to the company’s alleged inability to properly identify its asset locations.
The Ibiame/Agudame community also listed several oil facilities within their territory, including Belema ECKV-1, OLUA Field, EFRX-1, DGKW-1, multiple oil wells, the Belema Flow Station, and pipelines transporting crude oil and gas through Agudakiri to Kilamasiri.
They urged Renaissance to recognise their rights and contributions, warning that continued neglect could result in a complete halt of crude oil and gas flow through assets in their community, an action that could disrupt production and barging operations.
The communities said they had written several letters to SPDC and Renaissance over the years, but received no response. They are now calling for an urgent stakeholders’ meeting to resolve the dispute and ensure their inclusion in the benefits of oil operations.
Although Renaissance’s spokesperson, Michael Adande, could not be reached, a senior company source confirmed awareness of the issue. The source, however, stated that the company had responded previously, explaining that the communities did not meet the criteria outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act for recognition as host communities.
According to the source, the Federal Government determines and lists recognised host communities, and Renaissance has acted in line with those provisions.
