Award of oil Pipeline Surveillance Contract to a Niger Deltan Commendable – Says, Hon. Ofoni Williams

A seasoned politician and founding father of Bayelsa State, Hon. Ofoni D. williams, has commended the genuine intention of the federal government, led by President Buhari Mohammed in taking pragmatic steps with a view to addressing and curbing economic downturn resulting from bunkering activities and oil theft in the oil rich belt of the Niger delta region.

The former lawmaker asserted without mincing words that the place of crude oil and Niger Delta sustainability as pathways to the growth of the country’s economy needs not to be underestimated. Therefore, it is fundamentally the right thing to do and ensure that functional and acceptable measures are advanced by the APC-led federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Hence, the award of oil pipe line surveillance contract to one of our own, High Chief Ekpemupolo is not a misplaced priority. This is predicated on the reason that, High Chief Ekpemupolo is a seasoned hand in terms of handling issues of security and has the requisite capacity to cultivate and execute the assignment to the latter.

It will interest all discerning minds to note that by the sound, undecipherable track record of achievements of the erstwhile freedom fighter, who sacrificed, in no less measure, to abate and decimate all the oppressive tendencies associated with oil exploration in the Niger Delta, with the resultant effect of eco-terrorism, which is known to all and sundry in the Niger Delta and beyond.

Hon. Ofoni D. Williams equally noted enthusiastically and commended the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Timipre Sylva and the NNPC management team for thinking outside the conference box and arriving at an apt decision of the award of oil pipe line surveillance contract to High Chief Ekpemupolo, stating that the show of administrative ingenuity on his part is a welcomed development, which, according to the senior citizen, encourages participatory contributions and shall yield positive results for the entire Nation.

However, Hon Ofoni D. Williams averred that the ray of certain expressions from some quarters that are not in tune to genuine intention of the federal government is equally not misplaced but borne out of the unbridled desire of the people of the Niger Delta to participate in changing the ugly situation. To this effect, it is strongly believed that, with the phenomenal experiences gained over the years, the issues raised are within the reach of High Chief Ekpemupolo to equally acknowledge and address in no distant time.

In the same vain, Hon. Ofoni Williams contended unequivocally and assured the people of Niger Delta that, with the show of unwavering commitment to the advancement of the interest of the people, High Chief Ekpemupolo will certainly not betray the federal government and Niger Deltans in extending managerial skills in addressing the fears expressed in certain quarters. Thus, he calls on the teeming youths of the region, most particularly, to remain calm and enlist for participatory contributions in addressing oil theft and illegal bunkering activities that have caused serious negative downturns in the economy and environment in no small measure. According to the erstwhile lawmaker, anything short of the above implies that, the region or Niger Deltans seem not to be interested in her own wellbeing and welfare. This, in itself, is an unwholesome trend that should be discouraged and jettisoned as quickly as possible because it is unworthy to be associated with, at this time and age of the people of the region.

Accordingly, Hon. Ofoni D. Williams remarked that he is very optimistic that High Chief Ekpemupolo will certainly do the needful, as consultation machineries are at work already for a robust and inclusive participatory contributions by all stakeholders in the region.

Hon. Ofoni.D.Williams equally calls on sister ethnic groups to ensure that the relative peaceful atmosphere in the region be sustained for all, as the benefits accruing from this creative idea of the APC-Led federal government will be equitably distributed to all Nigerians.

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