Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Ex-agitators in the Niger Delta have petitioned President Bola Tinubu, over alleged award of contracts for the rehabilitation of pipelines across the country only to a “Northern oil cabal” by NNPC Ltd. without companies owned by Niger Delta people.
Recall that there has been controversy over the ownership of the 17 companies awarded contracts for maintenance and rehabilitation of pipeline across the country by NNPC, as stakeholders claimed companies owned by Niger Delta people were sidelined; a claim which NNPC Ltd has denied.
But Niger Delta ex-agitators have sought the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, and the Secretary to the Federation, to address this issue promptly, warning that the situation undermines the region’s interests and the livelihoods of those who have returned from the creeks.
Coordinator of the coalition of ex-agitators in Niger Delta, Gen. Gershom Gbobo, demanded that local companies from the Niger Delta must be included in pipeline maintenance contracts to prevent another round of chaos in the region.
Gbobo in the petition threatened to shut down oil production in the country, should NNPC Ltd. fails to include local companies owned by people from the region, in the ongoing pipeline rehabilitation and maintenance contract awards.
The petition reads, “We will never allow such cheating, marginalisation, injustice and insensitivity to occur in this new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose mantra remains justice, equity and fairness. NNPCL should know that its actions and conduct would determine the level of peace in the oil-bearing communities of the Niger Delta.
“We will not allow this provocative action of awarding pipeline maintenance contracts only to companies owned by northern cabals. What happens to all the Niger Delta indigenous companies? No northern company would be allowed to carry out routine maintenance on pipelines located in our territory.
“Companies in our region must be engaged for such contracts to create jobs for the youths and keep all stakeholders busy. Northern companies should also be given such jobs in the north. We warn that there will be unrest and crisis if NNPCL fails to review this gross injustice.
“We are sure that international communities will understand that we are fighting for our rights. We must be involved in this. This is one contract that can be used to discourage pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta. Why will they give such contracts to people who are not from the region? Have they awarded any contract in the north to those of us from the Niger Delta?
“Is it feasible for us to go to the North and agitate for contracts? We call on Mr. President, the National Security Adviser, Secretary to the Federation and the Chief of Staff to intervene in this and stop this disrespect to our region. It looks as if we do not have capable hands in the region to maintain our pipelines.
“We are not saying that they should not award contracts to some of those northern companies. What we are saying is that they should award contracts to them in their domains and award contracts to us in our domains. You cannot be taking everything from our environment through pipelines and still deny us the opportunity to maintain those pipelines.”
