Only law can compel IOCs to relocate operational headquarters to Niger Delta—Lawyer
Lagos constitutional lawyer, Moses Mekson has said that no amount of presidential directives of official commands will compel International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria to relocate their corporate headquarters’ unless a constitutional provision is involved.
In an exclusive interview weekend, he said “Even the recent directive given by the Acting President during his recent peace tour in oil rich Niger Delta will not perturb the companies because they are aware that there is no law under which they are breaching in remaining outside their host communities or anywhere around there”.
“For too long, government has been clamouring on that and no action is being observed because IOCs know that government is not actually serious in their quest for the relocation.
Explaining more, Mekson said “there is no need for a new drafting of related law to do that job than to quicken action in the passage of the ageless petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which can be said to be the most frustrated and pending bill in the history of National Assembly that has passed through highest number of years without progress”.
“Again, the government that is giving the relocation directives only need to go back to the PIB to make sure that it is clearly stated there and then see what they can do to pass the bill into law before the end of the present Senate.
Not persuading the lawmakers to pass PIB on one hand and directing IOCs to relocate is an abuse of the collective intelligence of Niger Delta region and Nigerians in general.
Only recently at Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo directed the IOCs operating in the Niger-Delta region to relocate their headquarters to their States of operation to mitigate tension in host communities.
Osinbajo, gave the directive at a Town Hall meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital during continuation visit to the region to dialogue with stakeholders.
The Acting President urged the Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to begin the process of engaging the IOCs on the way forward to actualize the directive, saying “I think it is the right thing to do”.
