THE Senate has mandated that Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNG, pay the 73 communities of Obiafu, Soku, and Bonny in Rivers State the sum of N18.4 billion in compensation for the acquisition of their land and the loss of use of the affected land due to pipeline Rights of Way through the communities.
The payment must be made in 60 days, according to the mandate.
The resolutions were passed today after the Senate took into account the report of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, which looked into a petition from the communities.
Following its establishment, the NLNG purchased landed properties in Rivers State totaling more than 210 kilometers in length to be used as its pipeline Right of Way, which terminated at the NLNG export facility in Finima, Bonny Local Government of the state.
According to him, “there were over 73 communities and over 200 families whose hitherto agrarian source of livelihood were negatively impacted upon by the said acquisition.
“That after the recent intervention of the Senate and after being given one month instead of 7 days allowed by the Senate to provide evidence of payment to the Committee, the NLNG could only show evidence of payment to some individuals, families, and communities.”
Akinyelure also added that “The total amount it paid for part of the 210 kilometres of land acquired for pipelines Rights of Way was N74,642,773.00 which is not significant when compared to the sum of N18.4 billion approximately demanded by the 73 communities and over 200 families, which the NLNG has never objected to up till now.
“The payment made covered only 39 communities and 73 individuals and families; and that there was no Memorandum Of Understanding signed between the communities and NLNG on future obligations in the name of Corporate Social Responsibility with the impacted communities.
“There was evidence that other oil companies such as Shell Petroleum Development Company, Totalfina, Elf Petroleum, and Agip Oil Company paid compensation for the loss of land use to their host communities.
“NLNG confessed that the payments were made long ago and could not reasonably trace most of the payments documents but promised to look for further evidence to show that it paid stakeholders concerned if given another month to enable it.
“The committee considered their request unnecessary and unreasonably, having granted NLNG one month earlier instead of 7 days allowed by the Senate at plenary to conclude its report.”
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