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Tag: Pipeline Surveillance

  • Arewa Youths protest against Tompolo’s pipeline surveillance contract

    Arewa Youths protest against Tompolo’s pipeline surveillance contract

    Members of Northern Youth Advocacy For Good Governance Initiative and Arewa Youth Forum has staged a protest against the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security owned by Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, alias (Tompolo).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the youths, largely from the Northern region of the country, staged the protest at the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), demanding cancellation of the contract.

    The placards carrying protesters defied the presence of security operatives deployed to guard the facility as they called on President Bola Tinubu to exercise caution in renewing the contract over what they described as wanton financial malfeasance, they said plagued the contract.

    Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: Tompolo’s Pipeline Surveillance Is a Fraud, Sack and Probe Mele Kyari Now, NNPC Now An Osusu Ministry, among others.

    The President of Arewa Youth Congress, Comrade Musa Adebayo who spoke on behalf of the groups said there was no significant rise in the oil production quantum since the contract was awarded to Tompolo, adding that the successes being celebrated were normal production rates before mayhem of the Niger Delta Avengers.

    According to him, “It is hence a major matter of concern how much concerned efforts are being made to re-award the pipeline surveillance contracts to an ex- militant general despite the tension, financial malfeasance, disinformation and abnormalities that are inherent in the contract.

    “We expect that the federal government interest should be centered on knowing the tru cost of the pipeline surveillance contract as awarded as fresh facts and figures continue to emerge in the media.

    “We also expect the Federal government to suspend the NNPCL Group Chief Executive, Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari, Executive Vice President (Upstream), Mr Adokye Tombomieye, the Managing Director Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Mr. Ali Muhammed Zahra and Managing Director National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Mr. Bala Wunti.

    “They should be suspended and thoroughly investigated for their inputs in the contracts for the security and maintenance of pipeline infrastructure and ancillary facilities for eastern and western corridors and the establishment of a project management office for an unknown company (Inter-Atlas Limited ) which cost the Federal government almost one billion dollars in the last one year.

    “As concerned citizens, we should understand that the country is too tense to allow for any auction that may breed internal turmoil and more controversy within the ranks of its citizenry and we believe that awarding contracts to someone who should ordinarily be behind bars for the economic mayhem caused in the Niger Delta region between 2016 and 2018 is total anti- peace and anti- development”.

    Adebayo said they would continue to occupy the premises of the building until their demands are met.

  • PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE: Pressure mounts on Tinubu over Isoko quota

    PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE: Pressure mounts on Tinubu over Isoko quota

    Conveners of the Coalition of Isoko Youth Groups and Ex-Agitators have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give Isoko Nation its pride of place in the new award or pipeline surveillance contract in the Niger Delta.

    The Coalition’s Conveners, Mr Iteveh Nur’ Ekpokpobe and Mr Karo Edor, in a statement after a meeting with stakeholders in Oleh, Isoko South Local Area, appealed to President Tinubu to implement the Senate’s recommendation for Isoko Youths to be separately engaged by the federal government in the pipeline surveillance contract.

    The group stressed that although the previous contract was awarded after series of considerations, it became obvious to the government that it was awarded with limited information available to the government at the time

    According to the group, “sometime in August 2022 a contract for the surveillance of oil pipeline in the entire region was awarded to Tantita Security owned by the family of Mr. Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) an Ijaw from Oporoza in Niger Delta, without recourse to any Isoko or Urhobo representation, body or council.

    “Again without consultations a subcontract to cover for the pipelines in Urhobo Nation was awarded to Zane Energy Limited owned by the Family of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who are Urhobos. However, this contract was awarded with a spur into the Isoko axis.

    “This move was interpreted in its entirety to be a total disregard of Isoko Nation and its vibrant youths in their capacity to man surveillance on crude oil facilities in the area.

    “In view of the awards of these subcontracts, eleven Isoko Youth Groups came together in a coalition to exhaust all legal channels to press home demands germane to the perceived marginalization.

    “As part of our engagements, several letters were written to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Office of the National Security Adviser, and the National Assembly amongst others.

    “Following our efforts, the Nigerian Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions headed by Sen. Ayo Akinyulere, on instructions of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, held on January 28, 2023 on the issues raised. The hearing was attended by the conveners of Coalition of Isoko Youths, President Generals of Isoko Communities in Bayelsa State, representative of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva and others.

    “The Senate committee recommended at the end of the hearing, the need for the NNPC and the Federal Government to engage Isoko youths and stakeholders for keeping the peace and protecting crude oil installations in their areas ever since the beginning of exploration till date.

    The coalition urged the Federal Government to encourage the peaceful demeanor of Isoko Nation and to reward their legal agitations for sustenance of peace and order in the region.

    “We wish to appeal again to President Bola Tinubu to give Isoko Nation its rightful place in the next award of the Pipeline surveillance contracts.” The statement read.

  • Ijaw congress inaugurates committee on pipeline surveillance contract

    Ijaw congress inaugurates committee on pipeline surveillance contract

    The Ijaw National Congress (INC) on Friday inaugurated a committee to interface with some angry youth groups over the pipeline surveillance contract re-awarded to Chief Government Ekpemupolo.

    Newsmen reports that Ekpemupolo, an ex-militant leader is a former commander of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), also known as Tompolo.

    Prof Benjamin Okaba, President of the INC, performed the inauguration of the five-member committee at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, in the presence of other officials of the apex Ijaw socio-cultural organisation.

    Also witness to the event were INC’s national secretary, Ebipamowei Wodu; central zone chairman, Doodei Week, and other Ijaw stakeholders.

    The committee is headed by the Financial Secretary of the INC, Kennedy Odiowei, while a former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Oyinfie Jonjon, will serve as Secretary.

    Other members of the committee are Dan Ekpebide, Ambah Binaebi and Eneyo Athanasius.

    Okaba explained that the intervention was necessitated by the need to douse the seeming rising tensions among various groups and persons in Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta over the Tompolo job.

    “Recently, the INC has been buffeted with reports of brewing tensions amongst various Ijaw groups as a result of the pipeline surveillance contract. We frown at such divisive tendencies and propensities.

    “The purpose of this committee is very clear: to identify and interact with the various and divergent groups and see how their individual interests can be taken care of in the spirit of brotherliness,” Okaba said.

    Okaba called for unity and understanding in the Niger Delta, stressing that the pipeline protection job awarded to Tompolo through the NNPC, must not be a source of conflict and infighting in the area.

    The Ijaw leader said the region and its people had already suffered monumental invasions and harassments by armed federal troops over the years on account of their oil and gas resources.

    He stated that all concerned stakeholders had “a responsibility to ensure that Ijaw land is not made a battlefield for the shedding of blood and destruction of property and values”.

    He said it was very important for Ijaws to avoid internal squabbles and reftrain from sowing the seeds of discord or promoting the Pull-Him-Down Syndrome.

    “We should rather resist external aggressors and invaders of Ijaw territory. We must be patriotic to the peace and unity of Ijaw nation. This, at all times, must not be lost on us all.”

    He said it was unfortunate and ridiculous that Ijaw brothers were threatening to kill themselves over crumbs (not even by way of Ownership of Oil Wells) given to them to help protect national assets.

    Okaba urged the committee to reach out to the feuding groups and harmonise their individual interests to ensure that Ijaw unity and agenda were not compromised.

    Newsmen reports that the committee is expected to submit a preliminary report within two weeks.