Ayodele Olalere
The Organised Ndokwa Effort (ONE) has clamoured for the involvement of youth and host communities in Ndokwa in the pipeline surveillance contract.
In a statement issued by the group at the end of its extra ordinary meeting held, on Saturday, August 27, and signed by its Chairman, Ossai Udom, it argued that the only way youths of the various host communities in Ndokwa can be appreciated, commended, and encouraged for their efforts in preventing pipeline vandalism in the area is for government to involve them in the pipeline contract so as to further migrate against pipeline vandals, from neighbouring communities where their operating bases are being closed.
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“Ndokwa strongly objects to their exclusion, as acts that could destabilize the already existing regime of peace and security in the area, and say yes to our direct inclusion. Our preference for constructive, humane, and matured approach to the path of destruction, does not mean that we should be undermined, despised, and provoked to halt our age-long peaceful disposition,,” the statement stated.
The youth further argued no community in Ndokwa was awarded the contract, adding that for the government to award the contract to corporate organizations and non-indigenes was wrong. The group stated that if the host communities are awarded the contract, the profits from the contract will be integrated back into the community for its development.
They warned that if the government continued to exclude them, it can ‘easily compromise the supply of gas resources for the multi-billion US Dollar Nigeria/Morocco gas pipelines and the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano gas pipelines projects, amongst others.’
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They however pledged to always be ready to support and cooperate with the federal government’s effort ‘towards actualizing the regulatory activities of the petroleum industry for sustainability, availability, and affordability of the integrated community development projects at our grassroots communities.’
The youth further warned the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, not to take actions that could be detrimental to the interests of the host communities.
“They should seek amicable ways to resolve issues by amending the obnoxious pipeline’s surveillance contract,” they urged the government
