Edwin Clark, Ijaw National Leader and elder statesman has slapped those opposed to the N48 billion oil pipeline protection awarded to repentant militant, Government Ekpemepulo aka Tompolo.
The multi-billion contract was awarded to a company in which Tompolo has interest, and has equally generated mixed feelings from not a few Nigerians.
Apart from the opposition coming from other militants in the oil-bearing region such as Asari Dokubo, leader of Defunct Niger Delta Volunteer Force, that the contract should be shared, not a few Nigerians have slammed the federal government for awarding a very sensitive contract of protecting the nation’s oil assets to a private firm.
The federal government in its response to the criticisms said the firm will complement the efforts of security agencies in the country to end oil theft and pipeline vandalization in the country.
Clark said in a statement on Sunday, that pipeline protection contact should not be subjected to bickering, particularly as its affects the indigenes of the Niger Delta region, saying his peoples have the capacity to protect the oil assets in the region.
According to him,“The unpatriotic elements should realize that there is nothing wrong in awarding contracts to any capable Niger Deltan, especially to protect oil and gas assets that are situated in their backyards,” he said.
“Similar contracts have been awarded in the past to individuals, I do not understand, therefore, why the Tompolo case is made to look as if it is the only one.”
“The beneficiaries of the contract are bonafide sons of the Niger Delta, who are committed to the peace and stability of the region and the country.”
The elder statesman praised the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, for trying to find an amicable resolution among the militants to the surveillance contract awarded to Tompolo.
Meanwhile, Governor Diri and the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress jointly resolved the disagreement among Ijaw sons over the oil pipeline surveillance contract.
A peace meeting to settle the feuding parties was convened at the instance of Diri, who presided over the parley alongside the President of the INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba, in Yenagoa at the weekend.
The meeting also constituted a five-member monitoring committee to follow up on the successes of the parley in the interest of peace, unity and stability of the Ijaw nation and indeed the Niger Delta.
Last week, the chief executive of the Nigerian National Oil Company, NNPC Mele Kyari said over 700,000 barrels of crude oil is stolen in the country daily.
The value of the stolen crude is estimated at over $7 million, experts say.
