Pipeline security: NSA, stakeholders laud PINL over regular engagements with host communities

Stakeholders of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) including government officials, oil and gas operators, associations, community, youth and women leadership have showered encomium on Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) for its regular engagement of the 215 host communities cutting across Abia, Bayelsa, Imo and Rivers States.

For quite a long period, the TNP which transports crude oil from different oil installations from the above four states was heavily attacked and sabotaged by oil thieves threatening the country with almost zero delivery to the Bonny export terminal and causing the country huge losses in oil revenue, the mainstay of the nation.

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But after coming on board as the pipeline surveillance contractor of the TNP few years ago, Pinl deployed a combination of strategies, among which is regular engagement of all stakeholders of the pipeline, especially the host communities to forestall the impending doom, thereby restoring through put on the pipeline to a current 100% record.

This has led stakeholders to commend the company, especially on the regular engagement of the host communities, a forum that has led to the drastic reduction of vandalism on the pipeline and boosted the crude oil revenue of the country in recent years.

Speaking at the latest edition of the stakeholders engagement, which the company has slated to be a monthly event, Young Harry Amakiri, Director, Energy Security, Office of the National Security Adviser, lauded Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, for constantly engaging with stakeholders from its host communities.

Amakiri, who represented the Director General of the Energy Security Office, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree stated this during a stakeholders meeting to appraise the company’s operations on the TNP commended the company for effectively carrying out the mandate given to it by the Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser.

He noted that the issue of pipeline security should be of utmost concern to everyone, stressing that whenever the country’s treasury was affected through vandalism, it affected everybody.

He called for concerted efforts by all communities and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the common goal of achieving zero infractions on the pipelines was achieved.

Amakiri also urged the communities not to hoard information that could lead to the arrest of vandals in the various localities, adding that the government was committed to ensuring security for all citizens.

“I want to personally appreciate PINL for the work they are doing. It was a mandate that was given to them by the President to secure the pipelines ,and with your collaboration and what we are seeing today, it is impressive.

“This is a meeting of appraisal and I have listened to everyone and everyone is towing the same line as my thought and I want to say Pinl thank you for a job well done.

“When it comes to securing the pipelines, everyone of us must put our hands together to achieve our common goal,” he said, adding; “When the treasury of the nation drops, it affects everyone of us that’s why we need everyone of us to put our hands together to achieve this common goal,” he said.

Amakiri further assured that perpetrators of pipeline vandalism won’t go unpunished as the Office of the National Security Adviser has set up an investigation and prosecution team to prosecute vandals he disclosed that over 100 suspects have been prosecuted so far by the team.

“We have prosecuted more than 100 suspects as of today, and some are serving prison terms. The teams are working 24 hours to make sure that those involved in this illegal activity are dealt with according to the law.

“So I’m giving you the assurance that whatever information you have about these vandals, please don’t hesitate to call our attention to apprehend them,” he stated.

Also speaking, Head Field Operations, Eastern Corridor, Project Monitoring Office of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, Akponine Omojevwe noted that there have been so much improvement in terms of output since PINL took over protection of the pipelines.

He, however, called on the communities and sub-contractors to collaborate more with the company to achieve maximum results.

“So from our side, we are saying that for PINL to do very well, it depends on you also, so it must be a collaborative effort. Everybody is involved as long as this surveillance is involved.

“So we want to appreciate you because from what we have observed, alot has really changed. If we look at the tender receipts of 2 years ago, there are lots of improvement,s so we can say that you have done well and we appreciate yo,u but also urge you to put in more efforts,” he stated.

On his part, President of the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Dr Kennedy West, passed a vote of confidence on the activities of PINL.

He said it was rare to see companies operating in the region giving host communities the opportunity to air their views on issues affecting them.

West said with such conversations, pipeline vandalism would be a thing of the past in the communities and called for an upward review of the PINL contract in line with current realities to benefit more communities.

West stated; “I want to thank PINL for bringing people from 215 communities within the Trans Niger Pipeline to discuss on what used to be wrong and I want to say, PINL you are getting it right.

“Not only that you have our thumbs up, but we are using this medium to reiterate a vote of confidence on Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited. We are not just saying that, but we are using this medium to also call on NNPCL to do an upward review of the contract based on current realities so that there will bea financial boom within the communities,” he said.

A paramount ruler, King Philip Osaro Obele, the Oneh-Eeh Eleme, Rivers State in his submission called on the Office of the National Security Adviser to look into the plight of host communities especially Eleme, adding that the communities are suffering so much from pollution and other adverse effects of oil exploration.

“I’m pleading with the Office of the National Security Adviser to consider Eleme. The oil pollution we have at Ejama-Ebubu, no clean up cannot be cleaned up. The water pollution in Ogale is the worst in the world. No roads, I’m happy with PINL for calling us here to tell them our minds, take this to Abuja because they don’t know what we are suffering by answering the oil producing community,” he appealed.

Earlier, Dr Akpos Mezeh, the Community Relations Consultant of PINL, stated that the essence of the engagement was to appraise the company’s activities in the communities for the years and seek ways of improvement.

“The essence of today’s meeting is for us to appraise our journey so far and of course we all started the journey together and it’s only proper that we come together from time to time for us to assess ourselves whether we are making progress or not and I think the essence of this exercise is to improve on whatever efforts we are putting in,” Mezeh stated.

He noted that PINL mandate to protect the Trans Niger Pipeline has been achieved through engagements with the host communities, stressing that the collaborative approach has not only led to stronger relations but also forged a united front against pipeline vandalism.

He said apart from the community stakeholders, the company also has a mandate to reach out to other groups like non-state actors, local government chairmen, government security agencies, and regulatory agencies.

In collaboration with the communities and government security agencies, he said the company can measure its achievements as thus: “We have carried out social investments based on needs assessment done mitigating the socioeconomic drivers of oil theft while promoting sustainable empowerments of our communities.

“We have also ensured that we restore the environment hitherto destroyed by incessant crude oil theft, with the associated hazards.

“Also, we have achieved near-zero infractions on the Trans Niger Pipeline and ofcourse that is giving us increased crude oil production and also it has boosters investors confidence in our economy with the attendant revenue increase.”

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