After several months of communal clash and horse trading, there are indications that the much awaited Brass Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project may soon take off after years of delay following the Bayelsa State Government announcement that it has resolved the land disputes that was said to be responsible for the delay.
According to the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr.Wodu Kemesuode, the state government has intervened in the lingering dispute between the host communities of Okpoama, Twon Brass and Ewoama over ownership of the proposed site for the project.
Mr. Kemesuode, while speaking during a courtesy call on him yesterday in Yenagoa, by the Managing Director of the Brass LNG, Mr. Giovanni Romani, said the state government during the State Executive council (SEC) meeting has constituted a 3-man committee made up of the Ministries of Lands and Survey, Trade, Industry and Investment and the Deputy Managing Director of the Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation(BDIC) and have resolved issues delaying the project.
According to Kemesuode, the state government had intervened due to the economic importance of the Brass LNG project to the state,”the resolution on the land issues was fair to all concerned including the communities. As a state we expect the company to also consider, in line with the Act, ratio of employment to the state and the communities. We have qualified people and have lifted our manpower development.”
He also announced that the State government is set to sign an agreement with the Leaders of the three communities of Twon-Brass, Eweama and Okpoama over issues of land acquisition.
Earlier in his speech, the Managing Director of the Brass LNG, Mr. Giovanni Romani, commended the Bayelsa State government for her efforts at removing hurdles delaying the take off of the project in the state, saying “we are starting a new phase and we are committed to carrying along local communities.
