Lagos—Some concerned Bayelsans under the aegis of the Ijaw Elders Forum have called on Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa state to take “urgent action” concerning the state government’s position in the controversial circumstance the Atala Oil field (OML 46) was allegedly sold to a firm owned by highly-placed Bayelsans.
They made this known in a letter addressed to Governor Diri and signed by Efiye Bribena, Mr. Ben Amaebi Okoro and Chief Amagbe D. Kentebe, Hon. Iniruo Wills, Mr. Elaye Otrofanowei, and Mrs. Rosemary John-Oduone.
The Ijaw elders tasked Diri to institute a competent public inquiry to urgently unravel the whole truth on the matter and publish its findings and recommendations.
They also urged the governor to “take any other appropriate legal action, including sanctions where deserving.
“Appoint a competent board and management for the Bayelsa Oil Company Limited (BOCL) that can effectively drive its operations and in particular pursue the recovery of this prized asset.”
Mangrovepen.ng recalls that on 14 July 2021, during the state executive council meeting, Diri called on the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the minister of state for petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva to consider returning the Atala oilfield to the state.
“Our position on Atala Oilfield is that it is a prized asset of Bayelsa state and that revocation should be cancelled.
“Unequivocally, we have said so and we believe that those in authority would see the reason why we are sentimentally and emotionally attached to the Atala OilField,” Diri stated.
According to the governor, “Bayelsa state government might not have the financial capacity or the technical know-how. But the government is ready to partner with financial and technical experts to ensure that the field goes into full production.
“Therefore, let me use the opportunity to inform Exco that your government has actually taken a position on the Atala Oilfield and that it should remain a property of the Bayelsa State government.”
A renowned environmentalist in the state, Comrade Alagoa Morris, while reacting to the letter by the Ijaw Elders Forum absolved Diri of any blame regarding the Atala oilfield imbroglio.
However, the rights activist stressed the need for Diri to always clear the air for Bayelsans to be well-informed as the incumbent governor of the state.
He equally maintained that former Governor Seriake Dickson who is now the senator representing Bayelsa West is in a better position to explain.
According to Morris: “Dickson who prided himself as the first to have two tenure should have been in a better place to explain what happened with the Atala oilfield.”
“Unfortunately, with all the monthly transparency briefings, no mention was made of Atala, not to mention whether a single Kobo was received as revenue.”
“During the visit to the honourable minister of state for petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, by some Ijaw stakeholders of which I had the rare privilege of being a part; Chief Timipre Sylva took time to respond on this Atala oilfield matter because it was part of the presentation read by Elder T.K. Ogoriba.
“The Hon. Minister made it clear that the withdrawal of license was not only on Atala oilfield but others in same unproductive status, after periods of grace elapsed twice or so.”
Similarly, former Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, had in a statement he personally signed debunked claims that he supported the revocation of the Atala oilfield.
He revealed that “I am not and will never be in support of its subsequent reallocation by the DPR and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to anybody.
“Long after leaving office, early this year I read the announcement of the Ministry of Petroleum and DPR, canceling some non-performing licenses, including Atala Marginal Oil Field.
“For the first time in a long while, I put aside political differences and called Chief Timipre Sylva to register my personal displeasure to that and that he should not let that happen to our state while he is minister.”
