Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has restated his position that international oil companies in the region relocate their headquarters to states where they operate.
The governor who stated this on Tuesday in Yenagoa during the inauguration of the
Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre (ADRC's) Body of Neutrals, said it was the right thing to do.
Senator Diri also re-echoed his call for the amendment of sections of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), that excluded roles for the states and local governments.
The Bayelsa helmsman equally pointed out that the provision of 3% of oil proceeds accruing to host communities was grossly inadequate and called for an upgrade to 10%.
Describing the PIA as "a time bomb with a lot of lacunas," Diri stressed that it was an aberration to exclude state and local governments from the Act since host communities were being directly administered by them.
The governor, who said his administration had worked hard to enthrone peace and security in Bayelsa, however, attributed part of the problem of insecurity to the alienation of Niger Delta people from job opportunities in the oil and gas industry.
He, therefore, urged the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to absorb Bayelsans and people from the region to give them a sense of belonging.
"Let Bayelsans and people across the Niger Delta be employed in your commission. Part of the problem causing conflict is the alienation of our people from job opportunities in the oil and gas sector. There should be an inclusive process for our people to benefit from the resources in their land," he said.
Governor Diri also expressed appreciation to NUPRC for siting the centre in Yenagoa, noting that the inauguration of the Body of Neutrals would enhance peace in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region.
Chief Executive Officer of NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, commended Diri, for providing a befitting edifice for the ADRC in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Komolafe described Senator Diri’s gesture as rare, saying: "I want to pay glowing tribute to Governor Diri. He has done something wonderful and demonstrated a rare gesture. It is first of its kind for the ADR centre, which is an indication of his desire to bring dispute resolution to his people. We promise to make effective utilization of this infrastructure".
The NUPRC chief executive said the centre will guarantee access to quality, cost-effective and time-efficient resolution of disputes that arise in the upstream petroleum sector.
The NUPRC Secretary and Legal Adviser, Mrs Olayemi Anyanechi, in her remarks, said the Body of Neutrals was made up of retired judges and other eminent professionals to bring about justice, equity and fairness to host communities.
