N’Delta Youths Protest IOCs’ Reluctance to Relocate Hqtrs
Niger Delta youths yesterday protested over what they described as the continued refusal of international oil companies (IOCs) to relocate their corporate headquarters to areas of their operations in the region.
The youths under the aegis of Pan Niger Youth Leadership Forum (PANDYLF), said the action of multinational oil companies smacks of arrogance, regretting that their refusal to relocate was tantamount to disregard for the highest constituted authority, the presidency, which they said, had issued a relocation order.
According to PANDYLF, the presidential directive for the IOCs to relocate their headquarters was issued by the acting President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, during his recent peace tour of the Niger Delta region.
The National President of PANDYLF, Mr. Famous Daunemigha, who addressed journalists in Abuja yesterday, expressed concern over the development, describing it as “unacceptable “
While demanding the immediate relocation of the corporate headquarters of the companies to the region, the PANDYLF leader said: “Enough of this show of arrogance by oil producing companies. They can’t continue to have their head offices located outside of where their operations are taking place. This is unacceptable to us the youths in the region.”
The issue of youth restiveness in the region, he argued, should not be bandied as an excuse for the oil companies’ reluctance to relocate to the region, adding that the issue of restiveness was something that just started in the region and would be nipped in the bud.
He promised that his group was prepared to create a conducive atmosphere for the IOCs ‘relocation to the region, stressing that the PANDYLF leadership was ready to embark on a vigorous campaign to sensitise the people of the Niger Delta region.
He said: “I think the most important thing that we need to address is, I want to still remind Nigerians that when the Vice President came to the Niger Delta, he didn’t come in the capacity of the vice president; he came as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”