NASS Orders Shell To Pay Oil Producing Communities N6.9bn

The National Assembly has called on Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)  to pay the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta the sum of N6.9 billion.

The call for the payment was sequel to a petition from Bekele Jones and Associates to the National Assembly, lamenting the refusal of the company to comply with the resolutions of the Senate.

The Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Mohammed Sani-Omolori, in separate letters to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company, called on the multinational company to give effect to the resolution of the Senate, which adopted the report of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions mandating the company to pay the host communities the sum of N6.9 billion.

The National Assembly, who made the call, told the oil company to comply with the resolution of the Senate.

According to the letter dated 4th March 2019, pipelines in the affected communities, include Utapate South Delivery Line, 16′ South Forcados Pipeline, Port Harcourt Oloibiri Pipeline, Oloibiri Field as well as the entire Utapate/Akwa Ibom Fields.

The N6.9 billion is for accumulated rentals, expired leases, judgement debts and discriminatory payments for land re-acquisition and rentals in the Niger Delta.