Bayelsa stakeholders back oil communities’ content committee
Traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and other stakeholders from the four kingdoms hosting the EA/EJA oil field in Bayelsa State have endorsed the Community Content Plan Management Committee (CCPMC) as the legitimate body to coordinate benefits accruing to the host communities.
The stakeholders, drawn from the Kou, Iduwini, Mein and Basan West kingdoms in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas, equally reaffirmed their confidence in the committee’s chairman, Chief Stanley Braboke, dismissing allegations that the body was illegally constituted.
*Traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and other stakeholders from the four kingdoms hosting the EA/EJA oil field in Bayelsa State, endorsed the Community Content Plan Management Committee (CCPMC), in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
Traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and other stakeholders from the four kingdoms hosting the EA/EJA oil field in Bayelsa State have endorsed the Community Content Plan Management Committee (CCPMC) as the legitimate body to coordinate benefits accruing to the host communities.
The stakeholders, drawn from the Kou, Iduwini, Mein and Basan West kingdoms in Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas, equally reaffirmed their confidence in the committee’s chairman, Chief Stanley Braboke, dismissing allegations that the body was illegally constituted.
Their position was contained in a counter-resolution read by Chief Raphael Lameleti, Palace Permanent Secretary, on behalf of King Roman Dereatebe, Paramount Ruler of Letugbene Federated Community, at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
The resolution was issued in response to a November 3, 2026, press briefing reportedly led by King Decca Keredei, Amananawei of Amatu-1 Community, which questioned the legitimacy of the CCPMC, its chairman and the circumstances surrounding its establishment.
However, the stakeholders described the allegations as misleading, insisting that the committee emerged from extensive consultations and agreements involving traditional rulers, community development committees (CDCs), women, youths and other interest groups across the four kingdoms.
They explained that the process of establishing the committee began in 2025, with traditional rulers and prominent community leaders consulted before nominations were made to ensure adequate representation of all stakeholder groups.
The stakeholders also claimed that Keredei, who was nominated to represent traditional rulers on the committee, was informed of its inauguration and indicated his intention to attend. However, he was eventually represented by the Deputy Amananawei of Amatu-1.
According to them, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, the Department of State Services (DSS), the police, the Bayelsa State Government and traditional rulers were also invited to the inauguration.
They questioned why those now challenging the committee’s legitimacy failed to raise objections during the consultation, nomination and inauguration processes.
Speaking through Lameleti, the stakeholders said extensive consultations had been conducted since 2025, stressing that no section of the communities’ leadership was excluded.
“To set the record straight, wide consultations were carried out through several engagement meetings, and agreements were reached since 2025.
“No section of our clan and community leadership was shut out. It will interest the public to know that our royal fathers were consulted first on this subject matter, and their approval was obtained.
“Our prominent leader, High Chief Victor Ben Boyloaf, was also consulted, alongside several other stakeholders, and their approval was secured,” the resolution stated.
The stakeholders added that nominations were subsequently made on a clan basis to accommodate traditional rulers, CDCs, women, youths, opinion leaders and other influential groups across the kingdoms and communities.
They maintained that the committee was established to address perceived injustices in the distribution of Community Content Plan benefits and ensure that host communities received what was due to them.
They further accused opponents of the committee of attempting to undermine the process by using individuals to challenge its legitimacy.
The resolution concluded with a unanimous declaration endorsing the CCPMC as a duly constituted and legitimate body with the mandate of the host communities.
“The Community Content Plan Management Committee (CCPMC) is hereby declared legal, legitimate and duly constituted.
“It was inaugurated with the full mandate of the traditional institutions, CDCs, women, youths, opinion leaders, leaders of thought and other critical stakeholders of the EA Field host communities, following engagement meetings and agreements reached since 2025,” the stakeholders declared.
