Tina Amanda
The people of Ibaa Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, says the only thing that will bring an end to oil bunkering activities in the area, is to award pipeline surveillance contract to indigenes of the community.
The people under the aegis of Uvuawhua Concerned People’s Assembly, spoke in support of the call made by Emohua Council Chairman, Chidi Lloyd, urging the government agency responsible for the award of pipeline surveillance contracts, to review the process and ensure pipeline security jobs are awarded to members of the pipeline bearing communities rather than strangers.
A member of the group, Achor Egburuwo, who read out their positions, called on multinational companies operating in the area, not to consider any politician from state or local government authorities in the award of pipeline surveillance contracts but should insist on indigenes of pipeline-bearing communities for the sake of forestalling reoccurrence of the incident that claimed the lives of several people.
Members of the Uvuawhua Concerned People’s Assembly, however, questioned why an Ibaa son or daughter cannot be given the opportunity to mount the position of a contractor for Pipeline Surveillance or given a scholarship like other oil-rich communities.
They further complained of neglect of infrastructural development, human capacity building, and other basic social amenities in the community.
“It has been drawn to the table of Uvuawhua people concerned assembly that Ibaa is an energy-rich embedded community and has people who are well learned. So much financial empowerment in our land yet we remain hungry.
“Our view gears toward awarding the Oil pipeline contract in Ibaa town to indigenous contractors.
“We are not comfortable that a stranger who does not know the route to Ibaa forest is awarded the pipeline surveillance contract. The stranger only shows up galavanting himself and whisks away to develop his community with the money gotten from our community, while leaving Ibaa still underdeveloped not.
“Why is it that Ibaa indigenes can not manage the SPDC manifold in Ibaa? Why is it difficult for Ibaa sons and daughters to attend SPDC scholarships like other oil-rich communities such as Ogba, Egbema, and Ndoni?
“Why is the Ibaa man not employed by SPDC? Why is SPDC under the guise of government subverting our rights and royalties by using the military to intimidate processes?
“Why do we face so much neglect to infrastructural development, human capacity building, and provision of social amenities by SPDC”.
The aggrieved Concern Ibaa group lamented on the negative impact of unemployment on the people as several persons have lost their jobs while insisting that awarding a pipeline surveillance contract to an indigene of the community will redirect the attention of the youths involved in illegal activities to be better people.
“Commodities in the market have increased vehemently without pardon for the unemployed making livelihood difficult for all. This is the reason people patronize illegal bunkery products because it is cheap in price and easily gotten not minding the risk involved”.
They called on federal and state government, SPDC to ensure indigenous contractors are engaged if they want bunkery activities in the area to come to an end.
“We are calling on the federal government, SPDC, the incumbent Governor of Rivers State Siminalayi Fubara who has reinstated that the contract should be given to indigenes we are urging him to put words into action. Before now the contract was given to a stranger someone from Calabar who does not even care how the people are fairing when the Ibaa man is lying down hungry.
“We are giving the Governor our words that if he will help us to bring this contract down to our brothers, every pipeline rascality will be put to an end
“It is best for SPDC and government to engage indigenous contractors who can reach out to all in abating this crime.
“All the contracts that have to do with oil companies in Uvuawhua community in Ibaa precisely if it is not given to an indigene the process of oil bunkering will not stop. We will go as far as covering the manifold except Shell uproots the pipeline from Ibaa that is when we will stop the bunkery processes”.
Over thirty persons were reported to have lost their lives on Sunday night, 1st October 2023, following a fire outbreak from an illegal refining site which several individuals and authorities have blamed on the indiscriminate awarding of pipeline surveillance contracts.
