…Says host communities’ cooperation restored operations after explosion
By Eric Moore
THE Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has sought the support of Niger Delta people for the protection of critical national assets in the region.
PINL made the call at its 2025 meeting with stakeholders in the oil-rich Niger Delta held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday
The firm revealed that the cooperation of host communities of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) helped in bringing the major pipeline to full functions hours after supplies to Bonny oil terminal was interrupted by an explosion.
In his opening remarks, Community Relations Consultant, PINL, Akpor Mezeh, stated that as effort to carry the TNP’s 215 host communities along, the company has arranged for skills acquisition programme, scholarship and other programmes to equip the youths and sustain them in the communities.
He said: “Based on the needs assessment from the various communities, we have skills acquisition, scholarship and other things to equip the youths and sustain them in the communities.
“In the next month, we will deploy our teams to selected points to provide medical outreach to indigent residents who may not have the resources to afford such facilities.
“We are also providing pipe borne water to some of the host communities. We have already provided such pipe borne water for Asarama community in Andoni local government area of Rivers State.”
In his remarks, a traditional ruler, King Philip Obelle, called on the surveillance company to link the people of the host communities to the federal government as they are suffering from the effects of the oil exploration in the region.
Obelle, the traditional ruler of Eleme Kingdom, said: “I can assure you that since I came in contact with them, they have been interacting with the people.
“However, we acknowledge the importance of the work they are doing. But, we want PINL to carry our problem to Abuja. Our communities are suffering from the effects of oil pollution.”
President of Movement for the Survival of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationalities in the Niger Delta region, Kennedy Tonjo-West, advocated for community participation in the management of the pipeline in the Niger Delta region.
He said since the passage of Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), there has not been any visible development in the Niger Delta region, particularly communities hosting oil companies.
Tonjo-West called on federal government to be transparent in the content and implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
MOSIEND accused oil companies of causing Niger Delta youths to derail into engaging in oil pipeline vandalism.
The group noted that increase in oil production in the region is because of the cooperation of oil bearing communities and wondered what federal government has been doing with the cooperation received from oil bearing communities.