Imo Assembly To Issue Bench Warrant On Defiant Oil Companies

The Imo State House of Assembly has threatened to issue a bench
warrant on top officials of some oil companies doing business and
operating in Imo State.

This threat is coming after the oil companies failed to honour an
invitation to appear before the lawmakers in order to explain the
reason for allegedly failing in their Corporate Social Responsibility
to both the host communities and state government, especially in the
payment of outstanding ground rents and other statutory payments
amounting to N40 billion.

Before ordering the officials out of the Assembly premises in deep
anger, the Speaker, Rt Honourable Acho Ihim, told the officials that a
new date will be fixed for the top management officials of the oil
companies to appear before the house.

Mr Ihim stated that failure to honour the invitation will be
tantamount to compelling the House to invoke Section 129 (B) of the
1999 Constitution, which invokes a bench warrant on the top officials
wherever they may be.

Oil companies involved includes Shell, Chevron, Addax, Agip and Waltersmith Oil.

However, efforts to speak with the officials present at the House of
Assembly proved abortive, as they all turned down interviews.

In June, the Imo State House of Assembly passed a bill urging the
State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, to demand the immediate payment of
outstanding ground rents and other statutory payments amounting to 40
billion Naira from oil companies operating in the statee since 1978.
-Trumpeta