The Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum, have warned the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) against going ahead with the alleged plans to relocate the head office of one of its subsidiaries — the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company — from Warri to Abuja.
“The Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum is raising the alarm over a looming crisis and disturbance to oil facilities in the Niger Delta region over the plan by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to relocate the head office of it’s subsidiary, the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) from Warri in Delta State to Abuja.”
The warning came as a result of a leaked memo – The warning followed a statement issued by the group in Port Harcourt on Sunday, about a leaked memo it claims to have in its possession.
The statement was signed by the Presidents of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eric Omare, the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), Agbateyiniro Weyinmi, INYA, Ovie Umuakpo, UYC, Festus Oviesiri, NYM, Benjamin Onwubolu, and Emeke Asike of the Ika Youth Movement.
Details of the memo – The memo, dated April 3rd, 2019, from the Managing Director of NGMC, to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, stated that the company’s headquarters should be moved to Abuja because of insecurity in Warri.
A calculation of the cost of the relocation – The Amalgamated Niger Delta Force (ANDF), claims that the NNPC budgeted the sum of N120 million as yearly rent and an additional N294 million as overall cost of relocation for the NGMC. The total cost was summed up to about N414 million.
However, NNPC says they have no relocation plans – The NNPC had earlier stated that there are no plans to relocate the NGMC. Also, there is no plan to spend the said amount for rent and relocation. The corporation described the misinformation as malicious.
“NGMC remains committed to staying and executing it business operations in the Niger Delta. The company is poised to sustaining the existing relations between it and its esteemed stakeholders and members of the public.”