Chevron’s host communities suspend three chiefs over alleged role in crisis

By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

The leadership of eight host communities of Chevron Nigeria limited exploration activities in Southern Ijaw and Brass Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State under the KEFFES Rural Development foundation have suspended three traditional Chiefs over their alleged sponsor of the recent crisis that rocked the foundation.

The suspended chiefs representing their communities on the board of the foundation are Chief Manash L. Oluzulu ( Foropa ), Chief Dekumo Sunday- Regent(Ekeni) and Chief Wagibowei Ngozi Dowi (Fish town).

According to the foundation, they were suspended for failing to appear during the enlarge foundation’s Board of Trustees meeting to explain their alleged involvement in the lingering crisis within the organization and for backing the formation of a parallel executive council.

At the enlarged meeting of the foundation’s Board of Trustee (BOT) presided over by the BOT Secretary, H.R.H Israel Igbousa, the motion suspending the three chiefs was moved by Chief Martins Saighe and seconded by H.R.H (Rev) Williams (Ezetu 2 community Traditional Ruler).

The meeting resolved that the communities which the suspended chiefs represented should deliberate and forward replacement to fill the vacant seats.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, an ex-officio member, Chief Christopher Tuduo, said latest suspension was to end the saga rocking the foundation.

“The meeting is actually borne out the last gathering to reach a decision on the crisis before this foundation. Today’s meeting is one agenda meeting but unfortunately, the three BOT members that were supposed to be here today to respond to questions that bother on the role they played in the lingering crisis were unable to make it but were represented by some community chiefs.

“So, the general stakeholders, which is the general assembly of the council met and decided that the three BOT members are suspended from the board. It must be clear that their communities are not suspended but the individuals are suspended. We expect the community concerned to write to the council on what they want do to with them and council will follow suit.

“.Also, another matter was the issue of some members who erred and have apologised, though forgiven but there is one who is purported to be the secretary of the parallel executive wrongly created by Timiebi and the matter came up and the BOT members formally forgive him for having written an apology letter that he was misled.”

” For now, there are five persons members who are still suspended, namely, Tibiebi Amadein, the chairman of the parallel executive , Kofa Murphy Daniel, Christopher Longlife, Amina James and Ebitare Joseph” (Daily Sun)