Pipeline surveillance: Niger Delta stakeholders insist on decentralization of contracts

Stakeholders from the six states of the Niger Delta have welcomed the position of Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State on the need to review and decentralise the crude oil and gas pipeline surveillance contracts awarded by the Federal Government in the region.

The stakeholders, made up of traditional rulers, community leaders, women and youth leaders under the aegis of the Movement for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta, MSDND, made their position known on Friday.

They said the position of the Bayelsa State Government on the need for review and decentralization of the surveillance contract is to avoid ineptitude and increase collective protection of the nation’s assets and resources.

The National Coordinator of the MSDND, Chief Ayebatekena Olodi, said in a statement made that attempts by some contractors to single handedly hijack the contract have been dashed by the position of the Bayelsa State Government.

The statement said, “The current arrangement could pose greater security challenges if not properly regulated.

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“Recall that we have never been against the renewal of the contract but insisted that the Federal Government should decentralise the award of all pipeline surveillance and maintenance contracts across the different States in the Niger Delta region to reputable ex-militant leaders, who worked with the President and supported his plans for our nation from the onset during the primaries.

“We have said, through a series of letters to the President and through news publications, that there are capable leaders across the various States in the Niger Delta region that probably would have done a better job and produced better results in securing our nation’s crude oil and gas assets.

“We have also shown proof through key data about Nigeria’s crude oil exports from OPEC and other sources, which clearly revealed that Nigeria was producing and exporting more crude oil before the over $1.3 billion pipeline surveillance contracts were awarded to these selected individuals, and during the one-year contract period of their contract, our production and sales of crude oil decreased.

“The position of the State Government and the earlier positions by various groups and key stakeholders across the region are in unison.

“The Bayelsa Govt position simply stated that the needed review of the current pipeline surveillance arrangements should include stakeholders from across the region in order to create room for more inclusiveness.”