Stakeholders from pipelines host communities along the Eastern Corridor have passed a confidence vote on the operations of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, PINL, the firm responsible for protecting oil and gas pipelines in the area.
The commendation was given at the monthly stakeholders engagement organised by the firm with members of the host communities in Port Harcourt.
The confidence came even as the company announced the engagement of over 35,000 youths as surveillance workers across the 215 host communities along the corridor.
Leading the commendation on the company, Engr Orr Sunday Orr, who spoke on behalf of the Ogoni Oil and Gas Host Communities Youths Forum said after painstakingly assessing the operations of the company, they had come to the resolution that they have the right strategy in protecting critical assets in the area.
He acknowledged that PINL's operations have led to a drastic reduction in cases of pipeline vandalism, oil theft, illegal bunkering, environmental pollution, amongst others.
"With the efforts and commitment of PINL, vandalism, oil theft, illegal bunkering has drastically reduced in Niger Delta region and Ogoni in particular.
"Ogoni Oil and Gas Host Communities Youths Forum is aware of the Federal Government numerous policies and strategies aimed at safeguarding the pipelines, improving the standards of host communities and increasing oil production and as such, we hereby pass a vote of confidence on PINL as the company with the right strategy in securing the TNP in Niger Delta region and Ogoni in particular," Orr said.
He called on all host communities to embrace and sustain the relationship with the company assuring that, " Ogoni youths would continue to provide the necessary support and enabling environment to the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, and PINL in our dormain".
Also speaking, President-General of Orashi People's Congress, Emeni Ibe commended the company for engaging over 35,000 youths from the host communities.
He pointed out that the coming of PINL has changed the narratives of unemployment in the area, adding that if other companies had done what PINL is doing, cases of pipeline vandalism would have been a thing of the past.
"I want to commend the management of PINL. About 35,000 youths are being engaged in employment, this is a welcome development.
"The coming of PINL is changing the narratives in our area so I join others to pass a vote of confidence on them and we are calling on the Federal Government to provide more funds to the company. We are pleased with their trainings for women and their scholarship for our youths. This is what we are expecting and if these things are done, pipeline vandalism will be a thing of the past," he added.
Ibe said lack employment and hunger was fueling vandalism, urging multinationals to respect and implement the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, saying "full implementation of the PIA will bring harmonious relationship between the companies and communities and there will be no more pipeline vandalism".
Earlier, Dr Akpos Mezeh, General Manager, Community Relations and Stakeholder Engagement, announced that the company has so far engaged over 35,000 youths on surveillance jobs due to its expansion into securing gas lines and other critical infrastructure.
The PINL official while commending the Federal Government's commitment towards mitigating unemployment in the country and Niger Delta in particular through the expansion of the surveillance jobs, urged other tiers of government to provide more opportunities for youths in the Niger Delta.
"At PINL, while our primary mandate is go secure the Trans Niger Pipeline, TNP, we have expanded our scope to include other oil and gas facilities , including has lines in the Eastern Corridor. This expanded operations is a call to duty, and aptly aligns with the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda.
"With the recent the recent deployment of additional worker due to the expanded scope, PINL provides direct employment to over 35,000 youths across Niger Delta and oil bearing communities.
"While the Federal Government has demonstrated commitment towards mitigating unemployment and poverty through initiatives such as pipeline surveillance jobs, we urge other tiers of government to compliment these efforts by providing more opportunities for our youths, " he said.
Giving a scorecard of their operations in the last one month, Mezeh said the company recorded zero-infractions on the TNP, uninterrupted operations on the Eastern Corridor and peace in host communities while crude oil losses dropped to a 16 years low as reported by Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Corporation (NUPRC). He attributed the feat to the collaboration of the communities and stakeholders.
However, he reported that there were attempts to breach the TNP at Bonny and Eteo community in Eleme but was foiled by combined team of security personnel while suspected vandals in Ikata and Ogbo communities of Ahead East and are undergoing prosecution by the Office of the National Security Adviser ( ONSA).
Despite the successes, Mezeh regretted that incidences of stakeholders connivance, leadership disputes in some communities amongst others still threaten the smooth operations of the company.
The company assured continued partnership with their partners, the ONSA and the NNPCL and relevant government agencies to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the host communities.
Mezeh urged the cimmunities to continue to work with the firm not just as partners but as a family in securing the TNP on the Eastern corridor.
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