Pipeline Surveillance Contract: Idama Ekulama community backs Tompolo, seeks involvement
By Fejiro Jimitota
The people of Idama (Ekulama) community, Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers state, has expressed happiness over the recent surveillance contract awarded to High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, but lamented that as stakeholders, they have neither been consulted nor carried along in scheme of things.
This was contained in a statement dated Thursday September 29, 2022, jointly signed on behalf of the community by HRM King Kariboye Kariboye, Amayanabo of Idama Ekulama community, Hon. Odimabo Torukwein (JP), CDC, Chairman Idama Ekulama community, and Rex Egedeye, MEND leader, Idama Ekulama community unit.
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The community said that as an oil bearing community, they are excited about the contract and congratulate Chief Tompolo on this new feat. While noting that Tompolo is equipped with capacity to seamlessly execute the contract and deliver on the job.
Read the statement in full: “We, the good people of Idama (Ekulama) community in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers state, congratulates High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, on the pipline surveillance contract recently awarded him by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). In fact, his capacity to seamlessly execute the contract is not in doubt as he has been tested by previous administrations in the country.
“For a better understanding of our identity and objective of this statement, Idama (Ekulama) community is a crude oil bearing community that have different points in time played host to the Dutch oil prospect giant, Shell Development Petroleum Company (SPDC) now Newcross Oil Exploration, the Chevron Nigeria Limited and presently, Bellema Oil Producing Company Limited, an indigenous crude oil exploration and production firm.
“While we are particularly happy with this recent award of the surveillance contract to you, the community feels committed to make the following clarifications and demands:
“As a community, we shall give all the necessary support towards ensuring that the surveillance contract achieves its core objectives particularly in our own environment.
“We also bring to your notice as stakeholders that we have not been consulted in this regards and would obviously appreciate if this oversight is corrected.
“We passionately request that you carry us along as crude oil host community and stakeholder. That the community may be left with no other option than to resist any form of bypass as regard this contract in our environment particularly if due process is not followed.”
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