Open Letter to Tinubu, NNPPL (Opinion)
The pipeline surveillance contract awarded by the federal government to certain companies and blocs cutting across Southern and Eastern states has generated so much controversy in the last one year.
This controversy has led to agitations which are all centered on marginalisation.
Today, we are here as a group to decry the award of the contract spanning the eastern region (Igbo Land) which was awarded to a nonindigenous company.
Our protest is even more germane now that the contract is to be renewed by the Federal Government.
The Eastern Youth Coalition on Marginalisation in the pipeline surveillance contract in Igbo Land, is a coalition of interested youths pressure groups from Oil Producing State in the Eastern region of Nigeria, namely; Abia, Anambra and Imo States respectively.
To put into proper perspective, the Eastern Youths Coalition for Equity is an offshoot of a stakeholders meeting by selected youth leaders from the eastern region of Nigeria which held in Umuahia,
Abia State, where issues pertaining to marginalization of the Igbo region were enumerated and discussed.
On the front burner of our griefs as a coalition is the manner the pipeline surveillance contract awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to several companies were handled.
As a group, we have gathered from available records that the pipeline surveillance contract was split into the Eastern Corridor, Central Corridor and Western Corridor.
While Pipeline Infrastructure limited owned and managed by the Olu of Warri and family, secured the contract for the eastern corridor, Tantita Security Services Limited owned and managed by the ex-agitator of Ijaw Origin, High Chief Ekpemupolo Government alias Tompolo, got the central and western corridors.
We understand that the eastern corridor covers the oil producing states of eastern Nigeria which are Abia, Imo and Anambra States.
What we do not understand is why a non-Igbo, should be at the helm of affairs in the protection of crude oil exploration facilities in our region. This can only happen to Igbos. If an Igbo man holds a contract of this magnitude in Itsekiri land or any other land, I doubt if they would embrace the decision.
It is no news that Ndi-Igbo takes the fore in the marginalization index of our beloved country and we are pained that actions such as these only better emphasize how relegated our region is in the scheme of things.
The security reports from the eastern region of Nigeria are far from palatable, a fact to which every Nigerian can attest. But rather than join the bandwagon of restive agitations, the Eastern Youths Coalition for Equity has resorted to employing every necessary legal channel to drive home the grouse of the generality of youths in Igbo land.
PRAYERS
It is on this note that we as law abiding youths of the eastern region through this coalition therefore humbly appeal to the Federal Government to;
- Prevail on the general contractors, to accommodate youths of this coalition which forms the mandate of the youths of the region.
- Prevail on the requisite offices and stakeholders responsible to award a subcontract from the existing contract which would soon be re-awarded, to a company of choosing of this coalition.
- We passionately assure you that in the event the youth groups are considered, it shall be our mandate to ensure proper community liaison for effective monitoring of crude oil facilities in the region.
We also wish to state here, categorically, that the Igbo land is too important in the scheme of things in Nigeria to be relegated so much so.
We look forward to the kind and swift response of the Federal Government in order to avert unnecessary agitations that may degenerate to breakdown of law and order in the region.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Signed:
Signed: Caf
Comrade Edwin Nkwede Convener 08032959035
Comrade Agbawo Ahamefule Convener 07030812558