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Trouble don’t seem to be over yet in the Federal Government Pipeline, Oil and gas facilities surveillance contract in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria as the people of Oil-rich Orashi region of Rivers State are demanding 50% of the contract.
The Orashi National Congress (ONC), the apex socio-cultural organization of the oil-rich Orashi region of Rivers State which comprises the people of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni, Abua-Odual, Ahoada East & Ahoada west LGA made this demand in her 30th Congress meeting held in Omoku City on Thursday 26th October 2023.
The three point demand of the people which was read by the honourable Secretary General of ONC, HRH Amb. Bright Abali include:
1. That the good people of the oil-rich Orashi region are pained by the neglect of the Federal Govt, it’s agencies/ parastatal and multi-nationals in the joint venture of the NNPC for giving contract of surveillance/protection of oil/gas facility in orashi domain to non-indigenous company who do not know about the Orashi terrains.
2. That The Federal Government should as a matter of importance review the contract and award 50% of it to indigenes of the Oil-rich Orashi region which is the hub of Oil/gas in Nigeria to be beneficial to the host communities of Orashi.
3. That the good people of Orashi have peacefully protected oil/gas facilities in their region for 60years without any sabotage for free without payments, thus should be trusted with the contract of protecting the facilities now that the govt is rewarding people with such contract.
The Congress said it will be difficult for the people of the region to guarantee the safety of any oil/gas facility in their domain when the surveillance is not entrusted to Indigenes.
Speaking to newsmen in the event, the President-General of Orashi National Congress, Senior Comrade, Emeni Ibe appealed to President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to swiftly address the marginalization of the people of the oil-rich Orashi region and review the surveillance contract to build the trust of the people in his administration. He also called for the award of Water deseating contract to clear the Water ways, rivers, canals, tributaries in Orashi region which will address the annual flooding in Orashi region of Rivers State.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government under the Past administration of President Mohamadu Buhari awarded the Niger Delta oil/gas pipeline Surveillance contract to Tantita Security, a company own by Mr. Government Ekpemupolo. Who hails from Delta State. This did not go down with people from host communities which are calling for the review of the contract to favour indigenes of oil/gas bearing communities of Rivers State.
