TNP: NNPCL charges host communities on vigilance against saboteurs

By Aherhoke Okioma

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited- Project Monitoring Office (NNPCL-PMO) has charged host communities of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) to remain alert so as to guide against activities of vandals and economic saboteurs.

Head of Field Operations, Eastern Corridor of NNPCL-PMO, Akponime Omojewvhe, gave the charge at a stakeholders meeting convened by Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) for pipeline host communities in Bayelsa State.

Omojewvhe, who spoke against the reported infraction on the TNP in Odau community, Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, noted that Bayelsa, for the last six months, has recorded no infraction on the pipelines in the state.

He called for increased vigilance to ensure that the state continues to maintain its zero infraction ratings.

The NNPCL official, who noted that protecting the nation’s critical assets is a collective responsibility, urged the host communities to promptly report activities of suspicious persons around the pipeline right of way to the surveillance guards and security agencies.

”We don’t have any infraction as far as the Bayelsa axis is concerned, but as much as possible, we will still like to crave your indulgence, just like what we are passing through in Odau community. We want to crave your indulgence that at any point in time, you see people that are not from your community in numbers, especially young men, please don’t hesitate to alert PINL or the security people,” he appealed.

Omojewvhe while commending the community leaders and stakeholders for their support for PINL, emphasised that early information will aid in averting any damage to the lines.

Addressing the stakeholders, General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations of PINL, Dr Akpos Mezeh, stated that the peoples’ support has yielded result as the TNP has remained in optimal production while helping the country to surpass the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production quota for the month of May.

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According to figures released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on June 11, national oil output rose by 2.2 percent in May, from 1.66 million barrels per day in April to about 1.70 million.

Crude oil production averaged 1.53 million barrels per day, above the country’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million for the first time this year.

‎Mezeh, represented by   Community Relations Head of (PINL), Mr. Ebikeme Andrew, said the improvement reflected stronger operational stability on the TNP, deeper community participation, and a shared resolve among government, security agencies and host communities to reject crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

“The TNP continues to record remarkable operational stability,” he said, adding that more reliable infrastructure was contributing to government revenue, energy security and investor confidence.

He lamented the recent attack on the TNP by suspected armed men on June 15, around the Odua axis, Zone 8, in Abua/Odua Local Government Area of Riber, warning that such actions have far-reaching consequences such as environmental risks, including pollution and ecosystem degradation, while also threatening the livelihoods of host communities whose economic activities depended on a safe and healthy environment.

PINL, therefore, called on stakeholders, community leaders, youths, contractors, surveillance personnel, and security agencies to remain vigilant and continue to work together in protecting all vital national assets.

A stakeholder in Yenagoa, Dr. John-John Onyifie, called for the introduction of ‘check the checker’ principle among the security agents and surveillance guards securing the pipelines to eliminate the chances of insider conspiracy.

He regretted the damage to the lines in Odua community, assuring that Bayelsa communities will remain vigilant and ensure that nobody tampers with the lines.