By Abdullahi Abdulrahman, Yenagoa
National News – The Bayelsa State Government has resolved the lingering land dispute between Ofoni Community and Lalagbene Community, urging both parties to resume and strengthen their longstanding cordial relationship.
The government also reaffirmed its directive that no community in the state should sign any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with companies without recourse to the Office of the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, according to a statement signed by Doubara Atasi, his Senior Special Assistant on Media, stated this during a meeting with representatives of Ofoni and Lalagbene communities, alongside officials of Renaissance African Energy Company Limited at Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
Dr. Akpe urged communities to channel their grievances through appropriate government agencies rather than resort to actions capable of triggering hostilities and destruction of lives and property.
He emphasized the importance of government guidance in drafting and signing MoUs to prevent communities from being short-changed and to avert future communal conflicts.
According to the Deputy Governor, many disputes between host communities and oil companies often arise from poorly negotiated MoUs, stressing the need for communities to be properly guided with accurate information to avoid unnecessary conflicts and divisions.
On the Ofoni-Lalagbene dispute, Dr. Akpe stated that available evidence indicated that the parcel of land where Renaissance African Energy Company’s former Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Location Two is situated belongs to Lalagbene Community.
He, however, called on Renaissance African Energy Company to accord Ofoni Community its rights and benefits as landlords of Location One in the Iseni Oilfield.
“The people of Ofoni and Lalagbene taking up arms against themselves will not solve the problem. Government has directed that no MoU should be signed without its involvement. Most community disputes stem from agreements signed without government knowledge. There is no need to fight,” he said.
In their presentation, Renaissance African Energy Company officials, including General Manager, Community and Government Relations, Evans Krukrubo, and Land Adviser, Ojie Amejayo, clarified that Location One was acquired in 1972 from Ofoni Community in Sagbama Local Government Area, while Location Two was acquired in 1973 from Lalagbene Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area.
In their separate closing remarks, representatives of Ofoni Community, including Dr. O. O. Osusu and Sir Jacob Akpane, as well as Lalagbene representatives Dr. Abraham Ebakpa and Lenin Koko, expressed appreciation to the state government for its timely intervention and agreed to abide by the truce reached at the meeting.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by both communities to maintain peace and strengthen cooperation.
