Delta oil rich community  threatens to shutdown Chevron’s Utonana oilfield over PIA board 

Oil rich Kokodiagbene community, Warri south West local government area, Delta state  has threatened  to  shutdown   Chevron’s Utonana oil field  if the oil giant fails  to inaugurate the “Kokodiagbene Utonana field  PIA  Host community Development Trust , HCDT ” after twenty one days. “We, the executives and members of Kokodiagbene and its bloc of communities write to vehemently issue a 21-day ultimatum to Chevron Nigeria Ltd to constitute and inaugurate Kokodiagbene Utonana Field PIA Host Community Development Trust (HCDT). In the light of the foregoing, we want to unequivocally state that our community and its bloc of communities will not hesitate to shut down Chevron Nigeria Ltd Utonana Field operations at the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum until the our Field PIA HCDT is duly inaugurated.” 

The statement signed by  the community’s  Chairman Comrade Pedro Bekenawei, Secretary General , Mr. Francis Ayeku, Chief Elder Paul Ukuli,  Elder Amos Uttoh Amadiwei , Elders Council Chairman, Warri, Elder Ari S Ari, Opinion leader, Madam Ebierede Timiyan , Woman Leader and Comrade Blessing Laide  Youth President, also recalled that they had earlier written to the oil giant on  the issue in January this year.

“This demand and Ultimatum become necessary with reference to our previous letter dated 29th of January, 2024 which notified Chevron Nigeria Ltd of our community’s pullout from the Chevron Nigeria Ltd Gbaramatu PIA HCDT arrangement on grounds of marginalisation and imbalance in sharing of the BOT membership and proceeds to our community and its bloc of communities without recourse to the grand norms of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which was taken by CNL with levity, hence, did not receive the needed attention from Chevron Nigeria Ltd until this ultimatum.” A  WhatsApp message to  a staff of Chevron in the media department  for comment on the issue had not been responded to at the time of filing this report.