Two years after it was shut down and occupied by women and youths of Belema, Offion-Ama and Ngeje communities in Akuku-toru Local Government Area of Rivers state, the Belema OML-25 flow station was officially opened on Saturday by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva.
The event, which was a carnival of sort, was witnessed by the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kolo Kyari; Founder and President of Belema Oil Producing limited, Jack-Rich Tein Jr. and Osagie Okunbor; Country Chair and Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, prominent chiefs and elders of the host Communities.
Silva had, on arrival to Belema, addressed the aggrieved host communities on negotiations and agreement reached with the President of Belema Oil Producing Limited and other stakeholders in the Joint Venture to address their concerns.
He assured the host communities that they will not be taken for granted, saying that their interests will henceforth, be paramount in new Memorandum of Understanding, MOU signed with SPDC, NNPC and other Joint Venture Partners to re-open the facility.
He told the host communities that they had fought a good fight and urged them to maintain cordial relationship with companies operating in the area as to attract more development.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of NNPC, Male Kolo Kyari, said that he was in the community to ensure that peace returned to the area.
As part of ceremony marking the reopening of the flow station, the Minister of State for Petroleum commissioned an NNPC/Belema Oil Joint Venture Water project, lay the foundation for Kula Primary/Secondary School, Medical Centre, Women/Youth Training Centre and ground Breaking of President Muhammadu Buhari 85 km Kula-Degema-Port Harcourt Expressway.
