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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
There are indications that Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) has consolidated his hold on the multi-billion naira Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) surveillance pipeline oil contract awarded to him amid opposition.
Federal Government recently awarded the contract following massive crude oil theft that had seen to loss of daily oil production by the country.
The contract which covers the Ijaw speaking part of Bayelsa State (Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor Local Government Areas), Delta, Ondo, Imo and Rivers states had attracted a groundswell of opposition from some stakeholders in Bayelsa, Ondo, Imo and Rivers states. However, to consolidate his hold and ward off opposition, Tompolo held series of engagements with key stakeholders to assure them of his avowed principle to run an all-inclusive operation in the bid to stamp out illegal oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the region.
He met with traditional rulers and youth groups from Bayelsa State urging them to support the efforts. He was also said to have warned youths from Bayelsa State against all forms of cultism, kidnapping and sea-piracy adding that no surveillance slot has been given to any individual.
Tompolo disclosed to stakeholders that between Saturday and today, his team would move into serious operations to stop illegal oil bunkering.
His engagement with stakeholders is said to have softened the hard stance of opposition from Ondo, and Rivers against his operations.
Chief Superintending Officer, Supreme Egbesu Order, (a religion practised by Tompolo and several Ijaw people), Apostle Bodmas Kemepadei said Tompolo’s decision to carry everybody along has brought about peace.
“He has reached out to the likes of Asari- Dokubo and King Ateke Tom. Both of them did not even come out to criticise him. They are in cordial talking terms. There is no problem; everybody is on the same page.”
Meanwhile, in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Omoluabi Daggo, in Calabar, yesterday, oil producing communities in Edo State have urged Tompolo to involve them in the contract to secure oil pipelines.
The communities which spoke on the agies of Combine Force Blasters (CFB) said they had no issue with Tompolo being awarded the contract. Dagogo stated that their only misgiving about the contract was oil producing communities from Edo not being included in it.
They commended the Federal government’s decision to award the contract to someone with the pedigree to police the pipelines.
Daggo noted that Tompolo is quipped with the history of the area and had been a key player in the struggle for the betterment of the Niger Delta region that produced the “golden egg” that is the country’s mainstay.
