Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Host communities along the Trans Niger Pipeline, TNP, corridor in Obio/Akpor, Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of Rivers State have commended Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, for what they described as a rare and impactful approach to host community engagement, linking the gesture directly to pipeline security and sustained oil production.
The commendation followed the distribution of Christmas palliatives and a medical outreach programme for at least 35 communities across the three LGAs, held at the Emohua Council Secretariat, as part of PINL’s year-end community relations strategy.
Speaking on behalf of the communities, Chief Solomon Azunda Wejinya, Chairman of the Community Development Committee of Ibaa Community, said PINL’s consistent engagement model has strengthened trust and cooperation, critical to safeguarding oil infrastructure.
“We want to thank this company. They are a surprise to us. We have been having stakeholders’ meetings, and they have gone further by arranging scholarship programmes for our people and empowering our women,” Wejinya said.
He noted that transparent engagement and shared benefits were key to preventing conflicts that often disrupt oil and gas operations.
“If it has been like this before, I don’t think anybody will have any problem with any oil company or their facilities operating in this area. The company has been so transparent in their operations,” he added.
Wejinya assured PINL of the communities’ commitment to protecting the Trans Niger Pipeline, stressing that local vigilance remains a strong deterrent against vandalism.
“We are on your side. The communities of Emohua are very vigilant and I don’t think there will be any vandalism. We will protect the facilities on our land,” he said.
Earlier, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, General Manager, Community Relations and Stakeholders Engagement at PINL, said the outreach was both an appreciation gesture and a strategic investment in operational stability.
“We want to appreciate you for the good job you have been doing to ensure that our pipelines are safe, and there is no better way to say thank you than doing this,” Mezeh stated.
He explained that beyond food items, the inclusion of a medical outreach underscored PINL’s broader social responsibility agenda.
“We are here not only to provide food items, we are also here with our medical team,” he said.
Dr. Mezeh thanked the Emohua Local Government leadership and other councils for their cooperation, as well as Learn and Leadwise Resources, PINL’s partner in executing the programme.
Linking community cooperation to national economic outcomes, he urged youths in the host communities to sustain collaboration to keep the Eastern Corridor free of infractions.
“We want to appeal to our communities to maintain the momentum and ensure that we continue to increase production for the country because that will benefit all of us,” he said.
He warned that pipeline vandalism carries severe environmental and economic costs, stressing the need for zero-infraction operations along the corridor to sustain output and national revenue.
