Host Communities Urge NLNG to Comply with Senate’s Order on N18.3bn Compensation

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

 Some landowners, under the aegis of United Pipeline Host Families and Communities Association of Rivers State have urged President Bola Tinubu to compel the management of Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Company Limited (NLNG) to obey the order of the 9th Senate of the National Assembly and pay them their due compensation for forcefully acquiring their lands.

The aggrieved landowners who cut across over 74 host communities in eight Local Government Areas of  Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ahoada West, Ahoada East, Abua Odual, Emohua, Akuku-Toru, Degema and Okrika areas of Rivers state, decried NLNG’s refusal to pay them the N18.3billion compensation as directed by the Senate.

They claimed that the compensation was for acquiring their land illegally and loss of use of the affected land to Pipeline Right of Way (ROW) through the communities for over 25 years.

The 9th Senate had on October 4, 2022, during plenary, after NLNG allegedly failed to show proof of payment for acquisition of 210 kilometre of land belonging to the landowners, resolved and approved the people’s claim. 

Thereby authorised NLNG to pay N18.3 billion as adequate compensation due to the host communities and enter an MoU with them for loss of use of their land to pipelines ROW.

The landlords and host communities in a seven-point  communique issued at the end of a protest meeting, held in Ahoada East LGA, and signed by their Chairman, Vincent Agwanuru accused the management of NLNG of fraudulently carried out renewal of statutory lease agreement as required of her to do after 20 years without contacting the landowners, rather allegedly forged names suggestive of land owners.

 They regretted that the host communities in the eight LGAs were merely being seen as Gas Transmission Starting (GTS) line communities by the firm, without regards.

The host communities demanded that “In pursuant of the demand of our constitutional right, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we the appointed representatives of the various Pipeline ROW (Families and Communities) in Rivers State, who were affected by NLNG operation, starting from the year 1996 till date, came to a conclusion and resolved as follows:

“Due to the refusal of the NLNG to pay for the loss of use of our land (from 1996 till date) in over 74 communities, in eight Local Government Areas of Rivers state covering over 210 kilometres, which was forcefully taken by NLNG.

“We the landlords hereby demand for the payment of approved compensation on our land based on current market values as resolved after thorough investigations were conducted by the 8th and 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Having observed that NLNG has violated the mandatory, statutory demand by the Oil Pipeline Act and Land Use Act on Lease, stipulating the maximum 20years or minimum of 5 years duration, that must be observed after accusation of land had expired, NLNG without notice of entry on the landlords of host communities for the renewal of lease, went ahead fraudulently obtained renewal licence without the consent of the landlords.”

The host communities also demanded that NLNG should do the needful by removing their properties on their lands so as to enable them, the landlords make use of their lands for farming, fishery, others.

“Pursuant to the referred resolution of the 9th Nigerian Senate, the clerk of the Senate transmitted the above referred instrument to the Secretary of the Federation of Nigeria and also to the management of NLNG on the need for her to pay the money but till date NLNG has bluntly refused to pay the money or taken any step suggesting that she wants to pay the money.

“Provocatively, while this money is not paid the management of NLNG has fraudulently carried out the renewal of statutory lease agreement as required of her to do after 20 years without contacting the land owning side but rather fraudulently forged names suggestive of land owners.

“As if that was not enough, while still in contempt of the resolution of Senate, the management of NLNG has instigated the Federal Ministry of Environment to carry out an EIA for the construction of her 7th train in our Environment and served out notices to communities in her bid to construct an additional Gas Transmission line on our lands still without payment to us.”

The communities representatives however, urge the President Bola Tinubu, to direct the Management of NLNG, to pay them the approved amount the resolution passed at the plenary by the 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria within 30days, or remove their pipes from their lands.

In reaction to the protest, the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development of NLNG, Andy Odey, said there is a pending motion at a Federal High Court, restraining parties to take  action pending the outcome of the suit relating to the issue.

He said: “NLNG confirms that it asserted its legal rights before the Federal High Court, Abuja and secured from the court, an order of interim injunction on Friday, 4th November 2022, restraining all parties and/or any other person or authority acting or purporting to act for or through the parties from enforcing the resolution pending hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

Odey, who declined further comments on the matter, said “it is subjudice.”