OML 42: A call on oil merchant, Ernest Obiejesi, to stop impoverishing Ijaw communities in Delta
Editorial
By Ezekiel Kagbala
Needless repeating the obvious, oil merchant, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi of Nestoil has been making fortunes from his various investments in the oil fields of the Niger Delta region.
This being the case, therefore, the news of the total shutdown of his assets in the OML42 by aggrieved host communities in protest over his alleged failure to complement the communities with deserved corporate social responsibilities is to say the least, quite unfortunate.
Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi is reportedly the proud owner of Neconde Energy, a 45% stakeholder in the OML42. Also, he is said to own Amarata, Nestoil, Impac Oil and Gas, Jonecreek hydrocarbon, B&Q Dredging, White Dove Shipping Company, among others.
His firms are engaged in the execution of most of the key contracts across the OML42.
Dove Shipping Company Limited has been shipping crude from keremor loading point, Warri Southwest, Delta State to one of the OML 42 communities, barging/evacuation point loading and transporting crude from loading point for over six years. They are paid monthly even when they are not lifting anything. The contracts are worth $11millon dollars per month.
Only few months ago, NPDC battled Neconde Energy to stop White Dove Shipping Company on the ground that NNPCL cannot be paying so much for surveillance security contracts for OMS, Tantita and others, yet be paying this much for crude shipping while the crude pipelines are safe and fully operational.
Beside, there has been no report that Neconde's White Dove Shipping Company is declaring the exact worth of crude it ships through the Ekeremor oil barging lifting.
All the above simply points to one end, and this is the fact that Enest Azudialu-Obiejesi has been raking in trillions from the oil business he has enjoyed in the Niger Delta, particularly in Ijaw Lands, Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State.
Today, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi is widely acclaimed as a business man with high taste for expensive luxury from vintage cars to private jets, as he continues to expand his oil conglomerates across the country.
Ordinarily, Deltans would have been proud of this oil magnate and also appreciate him accordingly had his businesses sustainably improve the lives of those in the State where he is harnessing his wealth from.
Observers thought he would have impacted positively on the host communities partly by making available potable water supply, establishing schools or empowering youths in the locality from where he is making billions of dollars that has been enabling him to live in ivory towers of flamboyance and purchasing his private jets, luxury cars, etc.
Major complaints against Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi from many quarters presently is that this man, by his blatant refusal to pay the host communities their appropriate entitlements, he has portrayed the Federal Government as rewarding someone who does not appreciate the legitimate owners of the oil resources, with what would have enriched the entire Delta State, particularly the Ijaw nation.
Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi is seen by the silent majority as a billionaire who has continued to enrich himself with the oil resources in Ijaw land, and in spite of his riches deliberately owed numerous contractors and workers.
He only takes delight in increasing his fleet of luxurious automobiles and aircraft by adding a gulf stream thus bringing the number of his private jets to four. The new Gulfstream G-700 was reportedly acquired at a whopping cost of N60 billion at a time when the host communities from where he derives his wealth, the workers and contractors are shutting down operations at the OML 42 locations.
Nonetheless he seems not to border because he hopes to get free money from NNPCL as well as Government patronages through his other companies that operate in and around the region.
Much more worrisome is the fact that indigenous and non indigenous contractors and workers continue to parade in terrible hunger without pay, while Ernest flies in private luxury jets.
However, the Nigerian Federal Government, from the time of former President Goodluck Jonathan till date, obviously share in the blame for allowing one man to sit on trillions from the OML42 Assets and continue to impoverish the host communities.
But it is not too late for the Government to compel Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi to pay the host communities their entitlements as well as the local contractors and other investors their dues.
The recurring question in the region has continued to be how can Neconde, a 45% stakeholders in the OML42 asset be using its own companies Amarata, Nestoil, Impac Oil and Gas, Jonecreek hydrocarbon, B&Q Dredging, White Dove Shipping Company, among others, to execute most of the key contracts across the asset, while its management hijacked host community contracts for themselves.
The new Gulfstream G-700 was reportedly acquired at a whopping cost of N60 billion at a timen when the host communities from where he derives his wealth, the workers and contractors are shutting down operations at the OML 42 locations.
It's high time Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi changes his modus operandi, particularly as regards his organisation's delivery of corporate social responsibilities (CSR) to its host communities. He may soon find out that failure by him to retrace his steps and amend his ways may not be palatable in the nearest future.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Ezekiel Kagbala
Chief Editor
Contact/Feedback: 08038905146
