Award Asari, Ateke pipeline surveillance contracts or… MOSIEND threatens
Edith CHUKU
The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, has warned that there may be tension in the region if Chief Ateke Tom and Alhaji Asari Dokubo are not included in the next phase of pipeline surveillance contracts.
In a release made available to TNN titled: There’ll be crisis if Asari, Ateke are not awarded pipeline surveillance” the MOSIEND National President, Mr. Kennedy Tonjo-West, said that Asari and Ateke have been at the forefront of the Niger Delta struggle.
Tonjo-West opined that, “aside having the capacity, capital and manpower to secure the pipelines, the duo has a lot of people they are empowering who will feel intimidated if they are not considered this time around.”
MOSIEND President told the federal government that, “it took the intervention of critical stakeholders to calm the situation the last time the surveillance contracts were awarded and these leaders and other stakeholders were left out; the right thing should be done this time around, so that nobody will feel they are being sidelined.
“Chief Ateke Tom and Alhaji Asari Doukubo should have the first right of refusal before anything else.
“We also call on the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mele Kyari, and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, to liaise with Mr. President to facilitate it because, beyond giving these people this contract, the government should know that this is something that will attract peace to the region, and it should be given utmost importance.
“It shouldn’t just be about awarding contracts, but to achieve results which will bring about peace and development of the Niger Delta region, and we are hoping that Tinubu’s government will be fair in the distribution of these pipeline surveillance contracts to stakeholders.”
Tonjo-West added that, “this does not in any way mean that the people of the Niger Delta who own these resources have been relegated to pipeline surveillance contracts alone.
“We are urging the federal government to consider the proposals of eminent stakeholders of the Niger Delta who have applied for Oil Mining Lease so that there can be fairness in the ownership of oil fields and blocs in the country; especially now that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is at the helm of affairs.
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“The Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, should engage the president in this regard so that those from the Niger Delta who have the capacity to mine crude oil and natural gas can have their space in the oil and gas industry.”
He also urged the federal government to empower local refiners of petroleum products in the Niger Delta to enable them do their businesses legally.
“About 15 percent of the diesel, petrol, kerosene and other petroleum products consumed in Nigeria are produced by these so-called illegal refiners; and it will be a win-win situation if the federal government issues them licenses and empowers them to do their businesses legally.
“This will bring about economic growth in the Niger Delta and also reduce to the barest minimum pipeline vandalism, oil theft and environmental pollution in the region.”
West further called for, “the revalidation of the surveillance contracts of Tantita Security Service and Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited whom have done their jobs excellently in the past one year; revalidating their contracts and hiring more stakeholders to secure the pipelines will help to achieve more results.
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“Tinubu has listening ears and will strongly consider our request, and with the way he is going, we, MOSIEND, believe that he will attend to most of the needs of the people of the region.”
