Isoko Cluster: We Didn’t Pull Out Of OML 30 Community Development Board

Contrary to media reports, Isoko clusters of Oil Mining Lease OML 30, says they have not withdrawn from the Community Development Board, CDB, set up to operate the new Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU for the Oil Producing Communities in the oil bloc.

BigPen Online recalls that reports had quoted the Chairman of Isoko Clusters Presidents General’s Forum, Dr. Patrick Oboghor as saying the group pulled out of CDB over alleged marginalization and breach of agreement on rotation of the principal executive positions of the board.

Specifically, the report had claimed that the Isoko clusters of the four flow stations that constitute a major part of OML 30 pulled out of the CDB which was recently constituted in line with the new GMOU between Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited and Host Communities where OML 30 facilities are situated in Delta State.

But reacting to the claims in a statement signed by Chief Sunny Akpotu, Sam Efegodo, Chief Emeakpor Owhe and two others on behalf of the Isoko cluster, the group reiterated that at no time did Isoko clusters pulled out of OML 30 CDB and therefore urged members of the public to disregard the aforementioned publication and pray for the success of the new CDB executive which has since started work after its inauguration.

The statement reads in part: “the story is full of blatant lies, it is necessary to state the true facts so that members of the public may be better informed.

“It is necessary to point out that the members of the CDB were sworn in on the 15th of December, 2018, with only members from cluster 8 not being present. This was due to an internal crisis within that cluster.

“After the swearing in of the members of the CDB, the next order of business is the election of the officers of the CDB from among its members in line with Article 7 (7.8) of the GMOU. In line with the article referred to above, election were conducted and the current executive officers of the CDB emerged.

“With the exception of cluster 8 which could not participate in the elections because their members could not be sworn in, other clusters participated actively and officers from the various ethnic nationalities which make up the Communities in OML 30 were elected in executive offices in the CDB.

“Specifically, a member from the Isoko cluster contested for the position of Chairman but lost. That same member was later elected as the Secretary of the CDB.

“Another member from the Isoko cluster also contested for the position of Treasurer and won. It is therefore not correct to say that members from the Isoko cluster did not participate in the process leading to the emergence of the new officers of the CDB.

“While it is normal that every party involved in an election cannot be satisfied with the outcome of the election, it is expected that after elections, everybody involved ought to come together to work for the interest of the Communities they represent.

“Article 16 of the GMOU provides for dispute resolution in situations where members who are parties to the GMOU are not satisfied with any action done pursuant to the GMOU or interpretation of any part of the GMOU. To the best of our knowledge, nobody has activated the dispute resolution mechanism of the GMOU”, the statement said.