Opuedebubor community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has decried the exclusion of the riverine community from compensation provided to impacted communities for the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Escravos Crude Oil Pipeline maintenance by OMS Nigeria Limited, the company it said is involved in the pipeline maintenance works.

The community made their complaint known in a petition letter that was addressed to the Managing Director of OMS Nigeria Limited through the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) and was signed by its executive leadership comprising its Chairman, Comr. Emotimide Theophilus; Secretary, Meeting Ebidoumene, and P.R.O., Ebikeme Nanakumoh.

According to the executive leadership of Opuedebubor, the community, which is a stakeholder ought to have received her own compensation like other stakeholders as they have been playing their vital role in ensuring the smooth operations of the pipeline over the years, hence the exclusion is unjust and raises questions on the integrity of the company's decision-making process.

"It has come to my attention that Opuedebubor Community has been unjustly ignored, while other neighboring communities, such as Ikpokpo and Tebujor Communities, have received compensation," part of the letter reads.

"Firstly, I would like to emphasize the vital role that Opuedebubor Community plays in the entire ecosystem of Gbaramatu Kingdom. We have been an active stakeholder in the development and maintenance of the NNPC Excravos Crude Oil Pipeline for a significant period. Our community has consistently demonstrated its commitment to upholding environmental regulations and supporting the smooth functioning of the pipeline.

"Despite our collective efforts, it is disheartening to note that Opuedebubor Community has been excluded from the compensation that has been extended to neighboring communities. This exclusion not only undermines the principles of fairness and justice but also raises concerns regarding the integrity of the decision-making process. It is our belief that an error, oversight, or miscommunication may have occurred, leading to this unfortunate situation," the exco alleged.

While appealing to the company to acknowledge the error of exclusion and take urgent steps to redress the wrong, the community exco threatened to disrupt the pipeline repair works if their appeal is ignored within a week.

"Given the gravity of this matter, I kindly request your immediate attention and intervention to rectify this oversight. It is crucial that OMS NIG LTD acknowledges Opuedebubor Community as one of the impacted communities and ensures that adequate compensation is provided without further delay. Failure to address this issue may result in undue distress in your smooth operations.

"As a responsible and accountable corporate entity, I trust that OMS NIG LTD holds community relations in high regard and endeavors to treat all impacted communities equally. Therefore, I urge you to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter to determine the reasons behind the omission of Opuedebubor Community for compensation. If the exclusion is indeed an oversight, I implore you to rectify it immediately and ensure that fair compensation is provided to our community... I eagerly anticipate a positive response from you within a week time," the letter added.

Meanwhile, attempts to reach out to the management of OMS Nigeria Limited proved futile as phone calls and mails were not responded to as at the time of this report.

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