Relocation of Totalfina Hqtrs: Governor was misquoted -Info boss

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah says Governor Godswill Akpabio did not ask for the relocation of the headquarters of Totalfina Elf Oil Company to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital, during the visit by the Consul General of the French Embassy, Mr. Francis Sastourne, as reported in the media.

 According to a statement issued from his office, Mr. Aniekan said, what the Governor said during the Gala Night in honour of Mr. Sastourne was that “Totalfina Elf Company should have some kind of presence or a liaison office in Akwa Ibom, given the fact that it has robust drilling activities in Akwa Ibom territorial waters.”

Noting that the decision on the siting of headquarters of oil companies in the country is the prerogative of the Federal Government, through the joint partnership it holds with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Umanah maintained that “His Excellency, Governor Akpabio did not call for the siting of the headquarters of Totalfina-Elf in Akwa Ibom State in the said forum or in any other forum.”

He however said, Chief Akpabio, who was grossly misquoted in media reports, “has consistently maintained that it was not logical for a company doing business in Akwa Ibom not to have a presence in Akwa Ibom.” 

The Commissioner stressed the fact that “Totalfina-Elf needs such a presence in its host community to be able to quickly respond to, and handle such calamities like oil spills and other problems associated with oil drilling.” “A liaison office would help Totalfina-Elf to understand its social environment better and to maintain a good relationship with its host communities.” He added. 

Expressing sadness over the grave errors in the media reports, Mr. Umanah urged journalists “to exercise the famed commitment of the media to social responsibility and truth in correcting these misrepresentations.”