Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Governor Seriake Dickson
of Bayelsa State
The face-off between Bayelsa State government and multinational oil companies deepened on Thursday with Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, seeking the intervention of the Presidency over tax evasion, flagrant disregard to laws and non-compliance with the rules and regulations of the country.
A press statement from Bayelsa Govt House named the companies that evade tax include: Shell Petroleum Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC); Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC); Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL); Consolidated Oil (CL); Conoil Producing; Brass LNG and Aiteo Energy.
Dickson in a letter he personally wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), dated April 18, 2016 and obtained by State House Correspondents on Thursday in Abuja, pleaded that the government should not support the oil companies.
“Our further position is that the Federal Government and its agencies should not condone or support irresponsible behaviour by these companies whose conduct subvert and undermine the authority of the State and our economy especially in the areas we have legislative authority such as Development Control, taxes permitted by Federal Laws and other legislations within the residual powers of the State”, he said.
He specifically complained about defaults by oil and gas companies operating in the state to pay taxes and levies over time.
President Muhammadu Buhari
Dickson therefore, urged the President to use his good offices to prevail on the companies concerned, who are licencees of the Federal Government, to comply with the laws of the state and that of the country.
Our correspondent reports that the SPDC’s facility in Gbaran Ubie Integrated Oil and Gas, was recently sealed over charges of default in the payment of taxes and levies.
The Executive Secretary of Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board (BSPPDB), …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
