Emma Amaize
2 December 2008
HOST Com munities of Nigeria (HOSCON), Oil and Gas, Bayelsa State chapter, yesterday, gave the Bayelsa State Government a one week ultimatum to create/constitute the board of the Bayelsa State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (BASOPADEC) or the face a showdown from oil communities in the state.
Women leader of the HOSCON in Bayelsa State, Violet Obun, in a letter, dated December 2, addressed to the Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva said the oil communities would organise a peaceful rally/protest to Government House, Yenagoa if he ignored the demand.
"We write to alert Bayelsans that the host communities do not feel the impact of the derivation proceeds which runs to several billions monthly since the advent of constitutional democracy in 1999 when the enforcement of the 13 per cent derivation payment to oil producing areas commenced.
"We wish to affirm in unequivocal terms that the proceeds of the 13 per cent derivation do not belong to the Bayelsa State Government and most importantly, Timipre Sylva, but, the host communities in the swamps and creeks, who bear the brunt of the oil exploration and exploitation.
"Therefore, the governor should as a matter of urgent public importance release from January, 2008 the funds to a commission to enable the host communities participate and manage our resources and determine our development imperatives", the host communities said.
"By this ultimatum, we hereby declare that the consequences of doing otherwise would be very grave and detrimental to all and sundry in the state", they added.
The oil communities appealed to the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, president of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Kimse Okoko, traditional institutions in the state and oil majors to prevail on the governor to "create the commission and allow peace in our communities".
"Finally, in continuation of this protest, every woman should be ready for a showdown with Governor Timipre Sylva as we stage yet another 2,000 capacity town hall meeting a Bilabiri on Thursday, December 4, beginning from 10.00 am", the statement added.
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