Landlords picket Shell’s Bonny terminal over 30% lease benefits

Mkpoikana Udoma

Port Harcourt — Landlords from Jumbo House of Bonny Kingdom have picketed the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited’s Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal, demanding their 30% share of benefits from the lease agreement on the terminal.

The landlords made of up men, women, and youths from Jumbo House in Bonny Kingdom all dressed in their traditional Ibani attires, peacefully barricaded the main entrance to the SPDC-operated Bonny Oil and Gas Export Terminal, with canopies and chairs, singing, dancing and beating drums, while making their demands.

The Shell export terminal occupies a parcel of land jointly leased by the Brown Major House and Jumbo House of Bonny Kingdom.

According to the protesting landlords, the lease agreement stipulates a benefit-sharing formula of 30% to Brown House, 30% to Jumbo House, and 40% to Bonny Kingdom, including monetary payments, employment opportunities, and contract slots.

Speaking, Mr George Jumbo, Chairman of Akatikpo Park Community, lamented the Jumbo House’s exclusion from job opportunities and contract slots from Shell.

Jumbo dismissed insinuations that the Jumbo House was factionalized thus inhibiting efforts at accessing its due share of opportunities accruable from the SPDC facility in Bonny.

He further maintained that the Jumbo House seeks 30% shares in jobs, contracts, and scholarships, citing unfair marginalization.

“The marginalization of Jumbo House being a landlord to the company is unfair and unacceptable. Jumbo House is united in our demand for the 30% share of jobs, contracts, scholarships, etc.”

Jumbo also lauded the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, H.R.M. King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple, for supporting landlords’ rights and for his insistence that the companies avail their landlords their dues.

He urged the leadership of Shell Nigeria’s to intervene, by directing the management of its Bonny export terminal to provide the Jumbo House its due benefits.