By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition has waded into the dispute between Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd and the Alesa host community over non-payment of compensation for land acquired by the company and non-performance of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The Committee has resolved to embark on a fact-finding mission to assess the situation and find a lasting solution to the community’s dissatisfaction.
Committee chairman Rep Mike Etaba in a ruling to this effect after both sides have spoken to their documents, the petition and Indorama’s reply, said having heated from both sides, with lots of emotion from the host community’s side, it behoves on the committee to oversight the company and community to assess facts on ground.
Rep. Etaba urged the Alesa host community to always strive to maintain a seamless relationship with investors on their land in the spirit of mutual benefits and also advised Indorama to live up to its CRS.
The committee chairman also advised the community’s lawyer against litigation in all instances, as maintaining an open line of communication mostly leads to cooling of frayed nerves.
“The committee hopes that after careful perusal of the petion and response by both sides of their submissions before the committee, and with the planned oversight to the area, a lasting solution to the community’s dissatisfaction and Indorama’s position would be reached.
Earlier during the Committee’s sitting, the Paramount ruler of Alesa community HRH Sir JD Alkpe had accused Indorama’s management of non payment of compensation for land over which pipelines and other installations were built.
He also accused the Petrochemical company of shirking in its Corporate Social Responsibility to the Alesa community whose people have been subject to neglect by the company despite the huge profitable business in it engages-in in the Eleme Local Government area of Rivers State.
Representative of Indorama Petrochemicals Ltd. at yesterday’s hearing who incidentally is an indigene of the area denied that the company never embark on the building of new pipelines or installation that warranted any payment of compensation to the community.
