The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) on Thursday questioned a directive earlier issued to the company to pay the sum of N18.4 billion to host communities in Rivers State.
OsunDaily News understands that the National Assembly had earlier directed the firm to release the figures as compensation to some host communities in the oil-rich state.
The directive which was issued on Tuesday demanded that NLNG should settle about 200 families whose farmlands in Bonny, Rivers State, were affected during the acquisition of fields for pipelines’ Rights of Way.
The directive was issued following the consideration and adoption of a report by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions that investigated a petition by the communities.
The committee Chairman, Senator Patrick Akinyelure, in his report, had said following its incorporation, the NLNG acquired landed properties in the state spanning over 210 kilometres for use as its pipelines Right of Way which ended at the export terminal of the NLNG in Finima, Bonny Local Government of the state.
He said, “There were over 73 communities and over 200 families whose hitherto agrarian source of livelihood was negatively impacted upon by the said acquisition.”
Responding, however, to the directive, NLNG in a statement entitled: ‘RE: Senate directs NLNG to pay host communities N18.4b compensation within two months’ said its firm was carefully evaluating the lawmakers’ resolution and circumstances surrounding it.
The statement signed and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Port Harcourt by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development of NLNG, Andy Odeh, read: “The attention of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has been drawn to a resolution said to have been passed by the Senate, following the consideration of a report by its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, sequel to a petition relating to compensation for the acquisition of a Right of Way across some communities.
“NLNG is evaluating the resolution and circumstances surrounding it. “NLNG wishes to state that it has always conducted its business responsibly and in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including in this specific matter.”
This article was originally published on OsunDaily News
