Rivers Assembly threatens arrest of oil company boss over ignored summons

The Rivers State House of Assembly has given the management of Heirs Energies Limited a final ultimatum. 

The company must appear before it on Monday, July 20, or risk the arrest of its managing director. 

This follows the company’s repeated failure to respond to a petition filed by the Omuohoa community in Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area.

The community had petitioned the Assembly over the alleged unfair termination of contract staff drawn from Omuohoa who were employed by Heirs Energies, and had demanded their immediate reinstatement. 

Despite being invited by the House Committee on Public Petitions to respond to the allegations, the company has yet to honour any of the committee’s invitations.

Speaking during plenary on Monday, shortly after lawmakers debated the committee’s report, Speaker Martin Amaewhule expressed displeasure at the company’s continued disregard for the Assembly’s summons. 

He warned that should Heirs Energies fail to appear before the House on July 20, the Assembly would invoke its constitutional powers and “issue a warrant of arrest against the managing director.”

Still during Monday’s plenary, the Assembly directed Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited to immediately commence remediation, cleanup and restoration of land affected by an oil spill along the Ogoni-Bonny Pipeline in the B-Dere community, Gokana Local Government Area.

Lawmakers also called for the prompt disbursement of an approved compensation package of over two hundred and five million naira to persons and families affected by the spill in B-Dere.

In a separate resolution, the House directed Zest Optimal Global Services to commence payment of entitlements owed to sixteen workers previously disengaged from the company’s employment.

Plenary was thereafter adjourned to Friday, July 10.