By Godwin Chukwumaechi
Communities along the Bayelsa section of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), have commended surveillance company, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), for its approach to the protection of the pipeline in their area.
They rated the pipeline surveillance company ‘A’ for adequately engaging communities and other relevant stakeholders in its operations, adding that this has resulted in the effective security of the Trans Niger Pipeline.
The stakeholders who spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during the second day of the PINL Stakeholders Engagement Meeting, noted that the engagement of community people in securing the pipelines have given them a sense of belonging and participation.
Addressing stakeholders at the meeting, PINL’s Community Relations consultant, Dr Akpos Mezeh pointed out that the essence of the engagement was to get feedback from the communities and to seek ways of improving their operations for the overall benefit of the communities and the nation.
He noted that since the company started operations in the communities, they had enjoyed cordial relationship with them, adding that the company believes the meeting would help them to serve the pipeline host communities better.
Dr Mezeh further stated that the business of pipelines surveillance requires steady engagement with stakeholders and community people to get credible intelligence.
“In this meeting we expect feedbacks from our community leaders and stakeholders so that we can improve because as far as we are concerned, we have not gotten to where we ought to be so there is always room for improvement.
“Of course the pivotal roles as regards pipeline surveillance is continues engagement of the stakeholders because if you don’t engage with the stakeholders it would be difficult for you to know the underlying problems.
“So we’ve been able to reach out to all our stakeholders including our non-state actors, the kings, community leaders and local government chairmen,” he stated.
The PINL Community Relations consultant noted that the cordial relationship between the company has ensured zero infractions on the pipelines, calling for more to reduce environmental degradation and increase the country’s revenue base.
“Because of the cordial relationship we have with the communities, we have been able to record zero infractions on the pipelines until the recent sabotage in Rivers State and we think that we are doing very well and we pray that the support would continue so that at the end of the day, we’ll be able to reduce environmental degradation in our communities and help to increase crude oil production and provide more revenue for the Federal Government,” Mezeh added.
He also used the forum to disclose to the communities that the company has engaged fully community persons in the pipelines surveillance to ensure that foreigners don’t benefit from it.
Mezeh also said the company has been doing so much in terms of corporate social responsibility, settlement of disputes between communities and youths employment to ensure that the youths in the communities are engaged and dissuaded from going into pipeline vandalism.
In speech, HRM, King Joshua Igbugburu, the Ebenanowei of Bomo kingdom applauded the company for engaging communities in his domain, calling on other surveillance companies to emulate them.
The octogenarian who has been 65 years on the throne said that despite the situations in the region, he had ensured his domain recorded zero infractions on the pipelines through interactions with the youths.
He said; “Let me use this opportunity to commend the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, the operators in my domain. They are doing very well. They are taking care of the youths and chiefs and doing corporate social responsibilities. That’s what we want.
“But there are companies that are operating in my domain and they don’t care about us. They don’t know if traditional rulers are there, leaders are there but always use their guns to intimidate people and I condemn that. I must say boldly that other surveillance companies should emulate PINL,” he said.
On his part, Vice President 2 of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Dr Nengi James, rated the company 85 percent in terms of performance but advised that they should do more in terms of corporate social responsibility.
He stated that the company should be more transparent with their empowerment processes so as to be accountable to the people.
“We are very good people and the crowed here shows that the company is doing well, however, beneficiaries of the companies empowerment should be made public and the process of selection be made open to everybody.
“This company apart from your own jobs, look at the social corporate responsibility side so that you would be accountable to the people,” Dr James added.
Also, President of Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide, Jonathan Lokpobiri, lauded the company for not opting for military men to secure the pipelines, stressing that by engaging community people, they have given them a sense of participation in their own security.
“In terms of the role that Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited has played in the lives of the people, I personally on behalf of the Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide, I commend them. This is because they took the soft power approach.
“Many would have preferred to engage more of the military in terms of manning communities but they chose to engage more people and communities and thereby bringing about community participation,” Lokpobiri stated.
While advising Ijaw youths to adopt more of dialogue in their agitations, Lokpobiri also encouraged the company to do more to get those who may not have the capacity to burst the pipeline or cause chaos involved in their activities.
