Ahead of the planned resumption of oil production by indigenous oil company Belema Oil Producing Limited after over three years due to operational challenges, the people of Kula Kingdom in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, have granted the company’s contractors unrestricted access to operate.
Kula Kingdom, host community to Belema Oil, also granted the indigenous oil company permission to execute projects and freely conduct activities within the territory.
Several oil service companies including NNPCL Shipping/Belema Oil JV, J+G Global Gas and Oilfield Limited, Power & Energy, AJAVIN, and DESTINY have secured relevant regulatory approvals to handle different contracts in the OML-55 field as production resumes.
The Paramount Ruler of Kula Kingdom, King Kroma Eleki who granted Belema Oil contractors the freedom to operate during a meeting with the company’s representatives expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation by the company to resume production.
He thanked the Management of Belema Oil for making adequate provision for the host community including job opportunities and other benefits ahead of its planned resumption of oil production.
“For more than three years, they have not been producing, you can imagine, a company that has a large number of staff in the organization to continue to pay those staff without production. And we have been worried because it's also affecting us. Today they came to tell us that they are about to start production, so we are pleased. On behalf of the good people of Kula Kingdom, we are giving them the freedom to enter into Kula territory to conduct their operation and let production commence”
On his part, the Chairman of the Kula Council of Chiefs, Wapakabuari Ebejiye-Gaga said the planned resumption of oil production in the area by Belema Oil in this period of economic hardship after over 3years is a vital lifeline for the Host Community.
He expressed optimism that the move would rejuvenate socio-economic activities in the area and improve the quality of life of the people.
Also speaking, a prominent stakeholder of the Kula Community and President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria Sukubo Sara-Igbe stressed the need to sustain the harmonious relationship between Belemaoil and its host community.
He said that the communities would ensure the smooth operations of Belema oil in the Kula Kingdom.
