Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Surveillance contractors in charge of oil pipelines in Bayelsa State have berated the Bayelsa Government over calls for the review of the contract.
The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri speaking through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo had during a visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Nigerian Navy called for a review of surveillance contracts in the state.
Ehwrudjakpo who accused the surveillance contractors of encouraging crime and criminality said the contracts should be awarded to the Nigerian Navy.
However Chief Sam Kojo speaking on behalf of Surveillance Contractors in a statement titled ‘Surveillance Contractors are not criminals but patriots that have made Bayelsa anti-bunkering free’ accused the state government of campaign of calumny that would fail like previous attempts launched by the state government.
“For those conversant with the war former governor Henry Seriake Dickson waged on oil surveillance contractors since 2015, Senator Ehwrudjakpo’ s comments is only a rehash of the baseless and unfounded allegations peddled by the Bayelsa State Government which was tabled as a motion in the National Assembly and but failed woefully because of its spurious content” he said.
According to Kojo before the engagement of surveillance contractors, Bayelsa was the hotbed of illegal bunkerers and it was through the dedicated efforts of surveillance contractors that rescued the state from their grip and ensure oil companies operate in an atmosphere devoid of disruptions.
He reminded the Bayelsa state government that the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies have not indicted surveillance contractors of any crime, adding that some persons angry that their involvements in illegal oil bunkering have been curtailed are fighting back using the government machinery.
The statement reads in part“Surveillance contractors in Bayelsa through dedication to their duties and synergy with security agencies have curbed the activities of these criminal elements which has made Bayelsa an anti- bunkering state compared to other states in the Niger Delta region. This all round success has enabled oil companies enjoy smooth operations in Bayelsa and has protected oil pipelines in the state. The resultant effect is increase revenue which had come into the state through increase oil production and the salvage of Bayelsa ecosystem from oil bunkerers.
It is on record that surveillance contractors have had good working relationship with security agencies. Till date there is no indictment of any kind against any surveillance contractor by security agencies. Contrary to what the Bayelsa State government would want the world to believe, the Nigerian Navy, the Operation Delta Safe and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have not complained about any untoward activity of surveillance contractors”
Kojo advised Diri and his administration to focus of confronting the challenges afflicting Bayelsans inste4ad of waging war on innocent surveillance contractors