Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has decried the delay by international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to relocate their corporate headquarters to their host states in the region.

Diri, therefore, called on the Federal Government to prevail on the IOCs to comply with the directive without further delay.

He spoke at the second edition of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board’s Research and Development Fair and Conference held in Yenagoa with the theme, ‘Creating sustainable collaboration in research and development for the energy industry and its linkage sector’.

In March 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, had at a town hall meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during his tour of the Niger Delta, ordered the international oil firms to move their corporate head offices to their states of operation in the area.

But the Bayelsa governor described the delay as a disservice and injustice, more than three years after the directive was given by Osinbajo.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, expressed displeasure that the people of oil-producing states felt short-changed that the oil companies deprived them of their benefits by paying taxes to states where they have their headquarters.

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He argued that the IOCs had no reason not to relocate to Bayelsa, considering the prevailing enabling environment in terms of security and improved means of transportation, especially the commencement of flight operations at the Bayelsa International Airport.

He said, “Bayelsa State Government still feels short-changed, in terms of what we are getting from the oil and gas industry, despite the efforts we are making to ensure peace and tranquility in the industry. We believe the relocation of the IOCs to Bayelsa State should not be further delayed.

“This is a pronouncement by the Vice President of our country, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, some three or four years ago. So, we believe the time for its manifestation has become very necessary.

“We strongly feel it is unfair for the IOCs to carry out their operations in Bayelsa, yet the PAYE income tax is collected in Lagos. That is a case of somebody eating the beans and asking another person to have diarrhoea”.

He, however, commended NCDMB for taking steps to promote the use of research and development in the country and expressed the state government’s readiness to collaborate with the agency and other corporate entities to drive development in the state.