• Okowa sues for peace, lauds Fed. Govt

• Egbesu boys seek own deal

” />

Peder B. Helland – Hope

Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited Mele Kyari and Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday called for calm by some Niger Delta stakeholders over the N4 billion pipelines surveillance contract awarded to Government Ekpemupolo (a.k.a Tompolo).

They made the appeal as another group, The Reformed Egbesu Boys, faulted the contract, saying it amounted to a breach of an agreement between the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and former agitators on the protection of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta.

Kyari, in his first official reaction to the issue, explained that the contract was not awarded directly to Ekpemupolo but to a company in which he has a stake.

He said it was his belief that the Federal Government took the right decision by hiring private contractors to man its oil pipelines nationwide.

Kyari spoke during the  weekly ministerial briefing hosted by the Presidential Communication Team in Abuja, yesterday

The NNPC boss, who argued that although security agencies are playing their part,  stated that end-to-end pipeline surveillance requires the involvement of private entities and community stakeholders.

His words: “What we did is for three things. First, to ensure the government’s security agencies play their part….  But as they do this, we must remember that sustenance is everything. Therefore we   decided that we need private contractors to man the right of way and also operate outside the right of way so that they can also join us to manage members of the community

“We don’t have access to that and therefore, we put up a framework whereby contractors were selected through a tender process. Not everyone can do it and Tompolo is just mentioned, we’re dealing with corporate entities.

“He may have interest in the company, we’re not dealing with Tompolo, but we know that he has an interest in that company. We know that we’re engaging all other individuals who will be of help to us in this situation.

“This has happened severally over time and the end result was that it was contained under a process like this and we believe that we are taking the right decision.”

In Asaba, Okowa, who is also the Peoples Democratic Party vice-presidential candidate,   that said by awarding the contract, the Federal Government had for once    “demonstrated listening” and  “admitted good counsel”

Okowa, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Olise Ifeajika,  those against the contract to sheath their swords and work together as one.

He added that the contract was not just a win for Ekpemupolo but the entire Niger Delta.

The governor said although the protest by some groups was understandable, it did not represent the position of Niger Deltans.

He said, “The  Federal Government for once demonstrated listening; they admitted good counsel. We are commending the Federal Government for taking that position because that has been the agitation of our people.

“The protest by some groups doesn’t represent the position of the Niger Deltans.  . You saw that there was wide applause by Niger Deltans. They felt happy about it and that is where we are. There are other areas, even in the oil companies and there are more things to be done to give a sense of belonging to the communities.

“There are many other things that could be done like giving bigger contracts and oil blocks to Niger Deltans that have the know-how.  But like we have said, it is the beginning, we have seen a sign of being responsive but they need to strengthen it.”

The Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta had earlier yesterday flayed the Federal Government for not consulting widely Delta before awarding the contract.

It, therefore, rejected the award and appealed to be considered for such contracts.

“The NNPC management should have consulted critical stakeholders before awarding the surveillance contract to a particular person from the creek.  They (NNPC) failed to understand that the peace in the Niger Delta today is as a result of a peace deal that was entered between PAP  and representatives of  21  Niger Delta militant groups,”  said the group’s leader, Tony Alagbakereowei.

He added: “We were assured that every community will be responsible for the provision of security in their territory. That led  to the current cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta

“All these years, we have been patient, waiting for the government to do the needful, but to our greatest surprise, the surveillance contract was reported to have been given to a particular person from the creek, which cannot be acceptable. The  government  is always good in setting confusion..”