By Ogbe Sammy
The leadership of Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) Delta State Chapter says has dismissed the publication in the Vanguard Newspaper of Wednesday, October 5, 2022, page 12, wherein a group of persons who called themselves “Urhobo HOSTCOM nationality” claimed to have distanced themselves from the authentic leadership of Delta State Chapter of HOSTCOM which was duly inaugurated recently in Kwale, Delta State.
The Delta State Chapter of HOSTCOM Chairman, Comrade Sunday Enujeke and Secretary, Joseph Laminhan of Ijaw ethnic nationality in a communique issued at the end of the exco meeting stated unequivocally that the group of “Urhobo HOSTCOM” is not part of Delta State HOSTCOM and does not exist adding that they are a body of persons who are always fermenting trouble as regards HOSTCOM issues in the state.
Enujeke and Laminhan said the inaugurated body in Kwale is authentic as it has the presence of all six ethnic nationalities including Urhobo and therefore wondered where such a group of “Urhobo HOSTCOM” come from.
Part of the communique’ read thus: “Our attention has been drawn to a publication in Vanguard Newspaper of Wednesday 5th October, 2022 page 5, of group of persons claimed to be “Urhobo HOSTCOM nationality” who held their purported general meeting in Ughelli Kingdom Hall on Monday that claimed to have distanced themselves and dismissed the inauguration of the authentic state exco of the body. We state unequivocally clear that the so-called “Urhobo HOSTCOM” are amalgamated, illegal and not known to Delta State Chapter of HOSTCOM and therefore advised the general public, multinational corporations and all stakeholders to disregard such publication(s)”.
According to the communique’ the so-called “Urhobo HOSTCOM leadership” whose Chairman is Mr Pender Agwarive and Secretary, Mr Emma Sopian, is not known to Delta State HOSTCOM as a body.
The communique’ said the body is aware of court cases adding that there were no courts injunctions restraining them from carrying out their functions as all the contending issues which nearly tore the HOSTCOM apart have been resolved by the Interim Management Committee set up by National leadership of HOSTCOM before the inauguration took place.
Consequently, the Delta State leadership of HOSTCOM asked the general public to disregard the said publication and any other, if they exist, as the body has already started work in earnest.
The leadership said Comrade Sunday Enujeke and his exco members did not make themselves but by the National body of HOSTCOM and therefore advised the different stakeholders, multinational corporations and others to work with the body to move the state in particular and the country at large forward.
