By David Owei. <\/p>\n
Host communities of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) have commended Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) for its sustained engagement with stakeholders and its role in curbing oil theft and vandalism across the Niger Delta.<\/p>\n
The commendation came during the company\u2019s monthly stakeholders\u2019 meeting in Yenagoa, where community leaders, youth groups, and civil society organizations called on the Federal Government to broaden PINL\u2019s mandate beyond pipeline surveillance to include flow stations and other critical oil and gas assets.<\/p>\n
Among the Stakeholders that Praised Community Engagement were the
\nPresident of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Jonathan Lokpobiri, who described PINL\u2019s approach as a model for how homegrown companies can build trust with host communities.
\n\u201cThis company has shown that when you empower a local operator who understands the culture and the needs of the people, problems that once seemed intractable become conversations \u2014 and complex issues can be resolved,\u201d Lokpobiri said.<\/p>\n
He added that the government should consider expanding the firm\u2019s responsibilities to cover wellheads and other oil infrastructure. \u201cThey are doing far more than they are paid for,\u201d he noted. \u201cIf this company is empowered further, the Niger Delta can become a hub of peace, investment, and development.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other community leaders who echoed the sentiment were Comrade Ebiwari Edmond, Leader of the Coalition of Grassroots Leaders in the Niger Delta, who said constant engagement has reduced insecurity and oil theft. \u201cWe were not getting it this right before now,\u201d he observed. \u201cSince PINL came on board, communities are involved in the process, and that is why the pipelines are more secured today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. John John Oweifie, another stakeholder, emphasized the need for stronger protection of flow stations, which he described as vulnerable points where multiple pipelines converge. \u201cPINL is already doing more than expected. They should be given the chance to do more,\u201d he urged.<\/p>\n
Representing the Niger Delta Buckingham Palace Group, Mike Edokumo highlighted the wider benefits of PINL\u2019s operations. \u201cThrough a proactive approach, the company has significantly curbed oil theft, enhanced regional security, and promoted economic prosperity in the Niger Delta,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Beyond security, community leaders also applauded PINL with it’s provision of employment, scholarships, and empowerment opportunities, particularly for women. Lokpobiri assured the firm of the IYC\u2019s continued partnership, stressing that \u201ccollaborating with communities should remain the hallmark of your operations.\u201d
\nEdmond went further, suggesting the government should grant PINL an operational license in the oil sector, not just surveillance rights. \u201cThey have made a mark for themselves,\u201d he said. \u201cGovernment should encourage them to become a major player.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his response to the stakeholders, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, General Manager of Community Relations and Stakeholders Engagement at PINL, announced that the firm has expanded its operations to include the protection of gas lines and other critical national infrastructure in the Eastern Corridor<\/p>\n
His words \u201cWith the expanded scope, we have created more surveillance jobs for youths in the region,\u201d Mezeh said. \u201cPINL now provides direct employment to over 35,000 young people across oil-bearing communities in the Niger Delta.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the expansion aligns with the Federal Government\u2019s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes job creation and poverty alleviation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the Federal Government has shown commitment by expanding surveillance responsibilities, we urge other tiers of government to complement these efforts by providing more opportunities for our youths,\u201d Mezeh said.<\/p>\n
While presenting a monthly scorecard, Mezeh reported that PINL has achieved zero infractions on the Trans Niger Pipeline in Bayelsa during the review period.<\/p>\n
His stated Operations in the Eastern Corridor remained uninterrupted, while crude oil losses dropped to their lowest levels in 16 years, according to figures from the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).<\/p>\n
He further acknowledged attempts by vandals to breach sections of the pipeline in Bonny and Eleme, Rivers State, but said these attempts were foiled through collaboration with security agencies, saying that Suspects from incidents in Ikata and Ogbo are currently facing prosecution by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
\nMezeh credited the achievements to community cooperation. \u201cOur success is the result of collaboration with host communities and stakeholders. Together, we have demonstrated that security and development go hand in hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
As pressure mounts on the Federal Government to broaden PINL\u2019s mandate, stakeholders say the company\u2019s track record of community engagement and its growing role in employment generation offer a blueprint for managing critical national infrastructure.<\/p>\n
And For communities in Bayelsa and beyond, the partnership has already brought peace and stability. The next step, they argue, is to give PINL the mandate to extend its success beyond pipelines to the wider oil and gas ecosystem. They urged .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By David Owei. Host communities of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) have commended Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) for its sustained engagement with stakeholders and its role in curbing oil theft and vandalism across the Niger Delta. The commendation came during the company\u2019s monthly stakeholders\u2019 meeting in Yenagoa, where community leaders, youth groups, and civil […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[162,997,4752,2159,1756,653,1143,3369],"class_list":["post-7473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oil-gas","tag-achievements","tag-collaboration","tag-credited","tag-demonstrated","tag-engagement","tag-generation","tag-infrastructure","tag-sustained"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7473"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7475,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7473\/revisions\/7475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}