Pipeline surveillance not tea party, desist from attacks – CSO calls out agitators

The Conference of Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG) has condemned the activities of those it claimed are hell-bent on creating controversy in the polity over the award of pipeline surveillance contracts in the oil and gas sector.

The group warned that pipeline surveillance is not a tea party and as such the priority of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited), remains to ensure a safe and secure oil infrastructure and functional pipeline corridor to sustainably deliver national production targets.

The CSO at a press conference on Sunday, called out ex-militants agitating to be awarded such critical tasks and contracts, saying, ”Pipeline surveillance is not a tea party as recent events have shown, being an –ex-militant is not enough qualification to be awarded such a critical task, there is nothing personal to the management of NNPC Limited or its CEO, Mele Kyari rather, what is possible and best for the country”.

President of the group, Dominic Ogakwu in his address said, ‘This period, Nigeria’s oil production has seen significant improvement through the curbing of waves of mindless theft of Nigeria’s oil by criminal elements. This initiative has seen many seizures of tankers laden with illegal crude and the discovery of a four-kilometre illegal oil connection line from Forcados Terminal into the sea which had been in operation for nine years.

”Nigerians will not be wrong to believe that beneficiaries of this heinous economic crime will fight back in any way their influence can afford as their pockets are threatened.

”Peddling gross misinformation and unsubstantiated allegations on oil pipeline rehabilitation as well as surveillance contracts has now been adopted as a weapon of choice in the hands of unpatriotic elements.

”It is obvious to all well-meaning Nigerians that some wolves are expending a lot of negative energies to have unfettered access to seize and manipulate state resources to their personal advantage.

”Today, our country is witnessing a spike in oil production to over 1.8 million barrels per day, in addition to regaining our national position as the largest crude oil producer in Africa, ahead of Algeria’s 1.021mb/d and Angola’s 1.088mb/d.

”We urge those who are hellbent on undermining the transformative leadership of President Bola Tinubu to have a rethink and stop the meaningless agitations and threats”