Ilaje communities in Ondo State have stated that they are ready to support the pipeline surveillance that High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, will be doing under contract with the Federal Government.
This was said in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Akure, the state capital, and signed by Chief Asonja Idowu, Chairman/CEO of Multi Crocodile Squad Ltd.
He said that traditional leaders, indigenous, and inhabitants from all areas in the state's Ilaje Local Government Area have been educated on the significance and advantages of monitoring oil pipelines.
Chief Asonja revealed that after all-inclusive discussions among all stakeholders in the communities, they all resolved to support Chief Tompolo in the implementation of the surveillance contract in their communities.
The statement reads in parts: “A well-bred and dependable son of the land made it a matter of community necessity to embark on a widely celebrated community engagement, sensitization/enlightenment, discussion on the vantage opportunities the contract awarded to High Chief Government Tompolo will open to the great members of the Niger Delta region of the Ilaje extraction.
“The community engagement that attracted stakeholders among who are ebullient youth (men and women); Kings though with consultation in their palaces; youth leaders; representatives of communities’ associations, students’ associations, market women, artisans and every other individual without placing a premium on their status in the community.
“Worthy of mention is the fact that bunkers in the communities were also contacted to stop the illegal exploration of our nation’s oil well.
“Rising from the two-day community enlightenment, the following communique are made: In view of the contract awarded to High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, The Ebidouwei of the Niger Delta, by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, the pipeline surveillance problem has become a dominant national discourse. If given careful attention, the FG stands to gain immensely from the contact awarded to the people’s General.
“The shared benefits as unforcedly mentioned by discussants are as follow:
“It will boost the revenue of the federation which in turn will facilitate speedy and all-round infrastructural developments and provisions of basic social amenities. Security of lives and properties.
“It will add value to Nigerian oil in OPEC member organizations.
“Having said that, it is of utmost concern to the sons and daughters of the Niger-Delta region of Ilaje extraction on how to give an unalloyed and unflinching supports to High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo so that illegal bunkering becomes a thing of the past in all the creeks, particularly we in Ondo State are against this killing tool of our collective development.
“In view of this, I, Chief Asonja Idowu, am totally against bonfire, selling and transport of crude oil in and out of Ilaje communities and every other designated areas within the Niger-Delta region.
“Finally, the communities in Ilaje, one of Niger-Delta Oil Producing Areas, are well-equipped with the modus operandi of the pipeline security surveillance under the leadership of High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, the Ebidouwei of the Niger Delta.
“We shall key into the job specification as contained in the MoU signed between the Federal Government and High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo.”