Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, a pipeline surveillance firm, says it has expanded its operations ‘pro bono’ to include all oil and gas facilities in close proximity to the Trans Niger Pipeline.
PINL operates on the eastern corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline, but it decided to provide the free services in the interest of national development.
The General Manager, Community Relations and Stakeholder Engagement of PINL, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, made the disclosure on Sunday while addressing stakeholders from host communities on the TNP in Bayelsa.
Mezeh called on stakeholders to scale up real-time information around the nation’s critical assets to ensure optimum protection.
He said: “We wish to restate that PINL has taken on the responsibility of providing security for all oil and gas assets in close proximity to the TNP pro bono even though they are not under its current mandate.
“To this extent, we urge stakeholders to scale up vigilance and real time community intelligence around these assets in the interest of national security.”
Mezeh also disclosed that following from previous meetings, Biseni community has been included in its operations while plans are on to include other communities from Sagbama Local Government Area.
While giving a rundown of its successes for the month of September, he stated that there was no case of pipeline vandalism in Bayelsa State and on the entire TNP.
Mezeh attributed the development to the collaboration between the company, security agencies and community stakeholders.
According to him, there has been sustained oil and gas production in the eastern corridor, increased host community development trust funding and peace in the communities.
He said data capture has been completed for the company’s empowerment of 2000 women and girls from host communities under the PINL Women Entrepreneurs & Empowerment Initiative in Abia, Imo, Rivers and Bayelsa communities.
Verification of data is ongoing, and beneficiaries will be contacted shortly in the initiative which focuses on small business development, financial literacy, and skills training for women and girls.
On scholarship and youth development, he said it is currently being processed for payment, with beneficiaries expected to receive disbursements by November, while new entries from underrepresented communities have also been added.
Speaking at the stakeholder engagement, the President of the Ijaw National Congress, Professor Benjamin Okaba, thanked PINL for recognising the roles of the host communities and the traditional institution in its operations.
Okaba appreciated the company for its corporate social responsibility packages for the communities and for the regular stakeholders’ engagement towards finding lasting solutions to pipeline vandalism in the area.
He said: “I thank PINL for bringing us here, and we urge all of us to support them because as INC and IYC, we have agreed amongst ourselves that we won’t go on violent struggles anymore, we’ll go on civil engagements.”
The President of the Ijaw Youths Council, Jonathan Lokpobiri, commended PINL for nipping in the bud most of the problems that have bedevilled communities in the region.
Lokpobiri praised the collaboration between the company and security agencies in addressing issues of environmental devastation.
Also speaking, Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Mr. Bulodisiye Ndiwari, acknowledged that the area has not recorded any case of oil theft or pipeline vandalism since August this year.
In its goodwill message, the Project Monitoring Office of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited assured PINL that it will support the stakeholders’ collaboration in combating pipeline vandalism.
