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| feud between oil and gas stakeholders |
THE Chief of Staff, Government House, Asaba, Dr. Festus Okubor,
has proposed the concept of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas,
Hostcom partnership as panacea to end the feud between government, oil
companies and host communities where oil and gas are explored.
He gave the advice when executive members of Hostcom, Delta
State chapter visited him at his Boji-Boji, Owa, Agbor home to thank him for
the supportive role he played in building bridge between them, oil companies
and the Delta State Government.
Okubor said that the time has come for these bodies to establish
a relationship that will help achieve sustainable development of the oil
industry and improve the peoples’ economic base.
He said,“I believe that the concept of hosting partners must be
explored for lasting peace for the benefit of all stakeholders in our state and
the oil industry. This concept envisages that the oil companies, the government
and the communities where the economic activities are taking place must
readjust their mindsets, and begin to see themselves as partners in the same
business. Government must see itself as a partner in the business because it is
from that business that it gets its funds to fund services for her people.
The oil companies must see themselves as partners because it is
from the activities in our state that they make their profits for their
shareholders and their workers. The communities must therefore, necessarily see
themselves as partners. Partners that will benefit from the profits of the
business, partners who, because of the benefits they will get from the profits
of the business will see the need for them to protect the business.”
Earlier, Chairman of the state Hostcom, Dr. Peter Egedegbe, said
he and his colleagues came to Okubor to show appreciation for his tenacity of
purpose to the oil and gas producing communities of Nigeria, Delta State
chapter. He said, “You have demonstrated your dexterity to support the course
of the Hostcom which happened to be the life wire of the growth of the economy
of the state and, indeed our country, Nigeria. We have no doubt that when
people like you are in power, you will contribute meaningfully to the
upliftment of the oil and gas producing communities whose issues should be
placed on the priority list of the state.”
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