Host communities of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and stakeholders from Rivers, Imo, and Abia States have commended Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), the surveillance company responsible for securing the TNP, for its services and harmonious relationship with the communities since being contracted by the Federal Government.
The company has, in turn, urged further collaboration from the communities to ensure the continuous security of the pipeline, thereby boosting oil production, revenue generation, and benefits for pipeline host communities.
The stakeholders noted that since PINL took over the protection of the pipeline, the TNP trunk line has witnessed improved production, generating billions of dollars for the country. The line has recorded zero infractions, except for the recent past weeks.
They gave this commendation at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the firm in Port Harcourt.
Speaking at the event, Dr Philip Osaro Obele, the King of Eleme Kingdom, stated that beyond pipeline surveillance, PINL’s corporate social responsibility programmes and employment opportunities had been beneficial. However, he stressed the need for the Federal Government to ensure fair treatment of the communities.
The traditional ruler lamented that most oil companies operating in the area did not engage their youths, which often led to pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering. He called for increased opportunities for the host communities, provision of social amenities, and skill acquisition programmes to improve their livelihoods.
The Paramount Ruler of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, also commended PINL for its engagement with the communities. He noted that his domain had recorded zero infractions in the pipelines due to continuous interaction between the company and local youths.
However, he emphasised the need for greater local participation in oil exploration, saying: “I want to say that Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited has done well regarding pipeline surveillance and protection.
“But the time has come for locals to control the oil in their communities, and that is the position of the Ogoni people. So we are asking the Federal Government to grant us control over our pipelines, allowing us to run them, explore the oil, and distribute the benefits to our people.
“It is our oil, so let us be part of it. Let it be participatory. Let us deal in it directly, let our children grow in the industry, and we will pay our royalties to the Federal Government,” Nnee said.
In his speech, the President of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Kennedy West, stated that PINL had saved the country billions of dollars through its surveillance activities. He praised the company for its continuous engagement with host communities.
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However, he called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to be transparent about its plans for host communities, given their years of support and cooperation.
“We have a credible company like PINL that has laboured and is people-friendly. They know how to go about securing pipelines.
“PINL is doing a credible job. I want to thank the management. You have saved billions of naira for the Federal Government, but I want to ask—how is this reflecting on the communities from the NNPCL’s perspective?”
West urged communities to continue their efforts in ensuring the safety of pipelines while calling on the Federal Government to be fair to host communities.
“We have been cooperative, we have been very supportive in ensuring the Federal Government seamlessly carries out oil production. We want to use this opportunity to urge the Federal Government to make host communities understand what benefits are available to them,” he added.
On her part, Chief Patricia Ogbonaya, the Ada Ekpeye-Logbo, joined in praising PINL for providing host communities with a platform to voice their concerns regarding its operations. However, she emphasised that the suggestions made at the forum should not be ignored to ensure a sustained harmonious relationship with the communities.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Dr Akpos Mezeh, the Community Relations Consultant of PINL, stated that the engagement aimed to review the security of the pipeline and explore ways for improvement through collaboration with host communities.
He noted that the company’s success depended largely on intelligence from host communities, making them critical stakeholders in PINL’s operations.
Dr Mezeh further commended the communities for the harmonious relationship they had maintained since PINL commenced operations.
“The communities are critical stakeholders in our business. We all know that pipeline surveillance is intelligence-driven, and how do we get reliable intelligence? It is from the communities. So far, their support has been wonderful, and we believe that there is no better way to appreciate their efforts than by organising a forum like this, where we can collectively review our progress for continuous improvement. We acknowledge that we have not yet reached our full potential, and that is the essence of today’s meeting,” he stated.
He emphasised that stakeholder engagement was crucial to the company’s success, stressing that PINL had reached out to all relevant stakeholders, including non-state actors, chiefs, youths, women leaders, and local government chairmen, to ensure inclusivity in pipeline surveillance operations.
He also disclosed that the company had undertaken several corporate social responsibility initiatives to alleviate economic challenges in host communities, particularly in the areas of healthcare and infrastructure.
Highlighting some of PINL’s achievements since it commenced security surveillance on the TNP, Dr Mezeh revealed that the company had destroyed 883 illegal refineries out of 910 identified.
Additionally, 4,323 ovens and 2,506 receiver tanks were dismantled in the eastern corridor of the oil zone, which includes Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, and Imo States.
The PINL Community Relations Consultant further stated that 265 arrests had been made during their operations, with 45 individuals remanded in prison custody and 31 cases ongoing at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
Dr Mezeh noted that PINL’s covert operatives had successfully averted several oil thefts at different wellheads, resulting in improved security for oil facilities.
He concluded by stating that PINL had engaged over 6,000 individuals across Abia, Imo, Bayelsa, and Rivers States in the Niger Delta region. “This effort has significantly mitigated youth restiveness and reduced involvement in illicit activities. Furthermore, community leaders and traditional rulers have also been actively involved in these engagements.”
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