Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Stakeholders in Ijaw land have commended Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, for its community-driven approach to securing the Trans Niger Pipeline, calling it a model for oil infrastructure protection.
However, they have urged the company to expand its corporate social responsibility programs to further benefit local communities.
At the PINL Stakeholders Engagement Meeting in Yenagoa on Tuesday, traditional rulers, youth leaders, and representatives of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, acknowledged the company’s efforts in engaging community members in pipeline surveillance rather than relying on military enforcement.
HRM, King Joshua Igbugburu, the Ebenanowei of Bomo Kingdom in Bayelsa State, praised the company for fostering peace and collaboration, urging other pipeline surveillance firms to adopt a similar strategy.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, the operators in my domain. They are doing very well. They are taking care of the youths and chiefs and doing corporate social responsibilities. That’s what we want.
“But there are companies that are operating in my domain and they don’t care about us. They don’t know if traditional rulers are there, leaders are there, but always use their guns to intimidate people, and I condemn that. I must say boldly that other surveillance companies should emulate PINL,” he stated.
Earlier, PINL’s Community Relations Consultant, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, emphasized that continuous engagement with local stakeholders is crucial for effective pipeline security and intelligence gathering.
“Of course, the pivotal role in pipeline surveillance is continuous engagement with the stakeholders. If you don’t engage with the stakeholders, it would be difficult for you to know the underlying problems.
“So, we’ve been able to reach out to all our stakeholders, including our non-state actors, the kings, community leaders, and local government chairmen,” he said.
He added that the company had ensured zero infractions on pipelines in its operational areas, except for a recent sabotage incident in Rivers State.
“Because of the cordial relationship we have with the communities, we have been able to record zero infractions on the pipelines until the recent sabotage in Rivers State. We think that we are doing very well, and we pray that the support will continue so that, at the end of the day, we’ll be able to reduce environmental degradation in our communities and help to increase crude oil production and provide more revenue for the Federal Government,” Mezeh noted.
While acknowledging PINL’s efforts, Dr. Nengi James, Vice President of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, urged the company to be more transparent with its community empowerment initiatives.
“We are very good people, and the crowd here shows that the company is doing well. However, beneficiaries of the company’s empowerment should be made public, and the process of selection should be made open to everybody.
“This company, apart from your own jobs, look at the social corporate responsibility side so that you would be accountable to the people,” he advised.
Similarly, President of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC Worldwide, Jonathan Lokpobiri, applauded PINL for prioritizing local participation in security operations instead of deploying military forces.
“In terms of the role that Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited has played in the lives of the people, I personally, on behalf of the Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide, commend them.
“This is because they took the soft power approach. Many would have preferred to engage more of the military in terms of manning communities, but they chose to engage more people and communities, thereby bringing about community participation,” Lokpobiri stated.
He urged Ijaw youths to adopt dialogue over violence in their agitations and encouraged PINL to expand its engagement efforts to include more people who may not be directly involved in pipeline security but still deserve opportunities.
