— Faults The Award Of Pipeline Surveillance Contracts To Strangers
The chairman of Emohua local government area, Dr. Chidi Lloyd has restated the call for a strong synergy and sincerity among relevant stakeholders in the fight against oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities in Nigeria.
He said the resurgence of illegal oil bunkering activities in Emohua local government area was a result of sabotage occasioned by a lack of strong synergy and insincerity among relevant stakeholders.
Dr. Lloyd stated this when he made a guest appearance on ‘Point Blank’ with Segun Owolabi, a news and current affairs radio program airing on Super 93.3 FM PortHarcourt on Saturday.
The council chairman who regretted the recent fire outbreak that claimed lives at an illegal oil bunkering site in Ibaa community in Emohua local government area, while sympathizing with the families of those who lost their lives in the explosion, blamed the unfortunate incident on negligence to several advocacy programs undertaken by his administration to sensitize the people on the dangers associated with illegal oil bunkering activities.
He accused officials of multinationals, security agencies, and community leaders of sabotaging his administration’s efforts towards sustaining the fight against the menace in Emohua local government area.
“Recall that we have been in the forefront of the fight against illegal oil bunkering activities and we made huge progress but we cannot do it alone. All hands must be on deck with all sincerity to end the menace.
“Part of the problem is that officials of the multinational companies who are the operators of these pipelines collaborate with the perpetrators, including the military and civil defense officials who are supposed to protect the pipelines to sabotage our efforts.
“We also understand that no stranger can go into any community to build these illegal refineries without the approval and involvement of the leaders of the communities on whose land this crime is perpetuated.
“In 2021 I led the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, H.E Nyesom Wike to identify some of the illegal refining sites in this same Ibaa community, we also identified sites in Rumuekpe, Egbeda, and Rumuji communities, as well as a major dump in Oduoha Emohua but the perpetrators who were arrested during our enforcement are walking freely today because we do not control the security agencies, we only provide logistics but they do what they want and how they want it.
“While we are doing our best to end the menace, you discover that the military are the ones who escort the illegally refined products to their final destination.
“We’ve had a similar explosion in Rumuekpe community where our people were roasted but it didn’t take them up to a week to go back to scoop products from the same pipeline, very close to the scene of that explosion.
“What pains me the most is the fact that those who are roasted in the explosion are not the real perpetrators, the investors are enjoining themselves in big hotels while our people are roasted and when you ask why they’re doing this, they plead poverty. You cannot dig a hole to cover another.
“Top officials of multinationals are the ones who give out information on when there’s pressure in the pipelines for these perpetrators to vandalize the pipes and scoop products.
“We even had a situation where a serving divisional police officer was building his own illegal refining tanks in Rumuji. On another occasion, there was an institutional fight between the army and the civil defense over the proceeds of these criminal activities somewhere in Oduoha Emohua. Yes, it is as bad as that.
“It is very discouraging that after we had succeeded in reducing the menace, these people go back to regroup, in collaboration with those who are supposed to be partners in the fight.
The council chairman also noted the indiscriminate award of pipeline surveillance contracts as one of the factors militating against the fight against oil theft in Nigeria.
He urged the government agency responsible for the award of pipeline surveillance contracts to review the process and ensure that pipeline security jobs are awarded to members of the pipeline-bearing communities, stressing that it is very wrong to award such contacts to strangers.
“How can you award pipeline surveillance contracts in a community to someone from another community? We must begin to review these things and give opportunity for indigenes to secure the pipeline in their area.
“You cannot bring someone from another area to secure a pipeline in another area; let the people in the pipeline-bearing communities be considered for these surveillance jobs. If the right thing is done, everyone will do everything possible to protect the pipeline in their respective communities.
The Emohua council Boss however said that his advocacy for the review of the award of pipeline surveillance contracts doesn’t in any way justify the activities of the perpetuators but maintained that it will go a long way in reducing the menace and improve the economy of the Nation which is majorly dependent on oil and gas.
He reiterated that winning the war against illegal oil bunkering activities can only be possible if the critical stakeholders are sincere and a strong synergy is activated with the relevant government agencies who are constitutionally empowered to lead the war.
Bright Jossy-Elendu
Chief Press Secretary To The Chairman, Emohua Local Government Area.
7/10/2023
