– Picket SPDC, NNPCL, TotalEnergies’ facilities
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Association of Niger Delta Upland Communities have vowed to cripple crude oil exploration and production activities in Rivers State, over the non-inclusion of people from upland communities as recipients of pipeline surveillance contracts.
To this end, members of the group have begun picketing facilities operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. and other oil firms in Rumuekpe community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The protesters, made of men, women and youths who barricaded the access road leading to oil and gas facilities in the area, said they want to take part in securing oil and gas pipelines in the state, while criticizing the federal government for awarding pipeline surveillance jobs to one man.
Leader of the Niger Delta Upland Communities, Hon. Isa Mohammed Obiri, said the people in upland communities were unhappy that they were not taken into consideration in the award of pipeline surveillance jobs, adding that it was wrong for one man to be given the surveillance contract.
Obiri said the community would not allow oil exploration to continue if they are not drafted to take part in the pipeline surveillance contracts.
“We are here for a peaceful protest and we want our mandate to be given back to us. They should give us our right. Our mandate is being stolen by warlords. We want them to pay us the same money they have been paying for the contract, because we have been securing our area.
“How can you bring somebody from Ijaw land to come and secure a facility that is in our land. The Trans-Niger Pipeline that supplies crude to Bonny terminal comes from here and we are neglected.”
Also, Secretary of the group, Mr. Wisdom Otei, alleged that some military operatives who were deployed to quell the protest, arrested two of the protesters, warning that the protesters will remain resolute and peaceful in pressing down their demands.
“As you can see the people are angry with the whole process, that is why you can see men, women and youths are here.
“Our main demand is that 19.2 billion arrears illegally diverted in the pipeline surveillance job be paid to us. The contract has lasted for eight months, and we have two segments and each month we should be paid N4 billion arrears. The contract should be returned to upland communities.
“The NNPC should immediately release the contract to the upland communities. If they don’t do this, we will not allow them operate here again. Again over 150 people have died illegally because the contract has not been efficient in our area, we want the government to pay damages for the deaths.”
