By: Felix Ikpotor
The Rivers State House of Assembly,RVHA, has barred Shell Petroleum Development Company,SPDC, through the State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development from demolishing any property in Umuebule community in Etche Local Government Area without due compensation being paid to the property owners.
This was contained in the report presented by the House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions on Thursday during plenary.
Chairman of the committee, Evans Bipi while presenting the report said the committee concluded that the ministry should not embark on any demolition in the area until the SPDC pays compensation to the affected property owners.
He said, “that the affected property owners should not be made to suffer more loss resulting to change of policy by SPDC and the Rivers State Government intervention through the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, is enough prove that government supports the continuation of payment to the affected property owners at the Umuebule SPDC project”.
The committee also recommended that the managing director of SPDC and his team be summoned to appear before the house during plenary to answer questions on why they have constantly refused to honour committee invitations on matters affecting the company.
The committee swung into action after affected property owners petitioned the assembly over threats to demolish their properties without compensation.
Our correspondent reports that the house received sixteen executive bills which all scaled through first reading at the floor of the house.
