A chieftain in the Niger Delta region and chairman of the ijaw Welders and Fitters in Delta State, Chief George Timiyan (JP), has harped on the benefits of the pipeline surveillance contract that was awarded by the Federal Government of Nigeria via the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, as a strong basis for the renewal of the contract to the security firm allegedly owned by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo.

Chief Timiyan, who is the custodian of the traditional titles of Miyenkeremowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West, and the Mein Ibe-disemowei of Ogulagha Kingdom in Burutu local government areas of the State, made the appeal in a statement he signed and released to the press on Thursday, September 7, 2023, in Warri.

While congratulating President Bola Tinubu on his recent victory at the recently concluded Presidential Election Tribunal, Chief Timiyan stated that there have been numerous benefits in terms of employment opportunities, protection of the environment from further degradation which is now fueling commerce, increase in oil production, and relative peace in the region as majority of idle youths have been engaged, among others.

He said: "First, I want to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for retaining his victory on Wednesday, September 6, at the Presidential Election Tribunal in Abuja, and to also use this medium to appeal to the President to look into Tantita, the surveillance company that is protecting oil facilities in the oil and gas sector towards increasing oil production in the country.

"For the past decades, we from riverine communities have been suffering. We cannot go for fishing anywhere; we buy fishes from Warri and environs. We cannot even go to our waterfront to take a bath because of oil spill all over our terrains. In fact, our heath was in danger. So many people have died as a result of the health challenges," he stated.

On the area of the contract reducing pollution and creating employment, he said, "Last year, when Tantita came onboard to do their job, we observed and discovered, and we are seeing now that the rivers are clean; pollution of our waters has decreased. You can now go to the river to fish as expected. We no longer bother to get ice fish from Warri and environs.

"And since oil companies have been operating for the past decades in our communities there is no employment the way Tantita has engaged the people, both women and men. Some are very proud to go home with monthy payments. At the end of the month people have hope that they can feed; but it was not like that for the oil companies.

"None of these oil companies can go to our communities and employ more than 10 persons at a time. The highest they employ is five, 10 persons. As a result, the population of the jobless people increase everyday, which now led many to engage in businesses that were classified as unlawful," he revealed.

Chief Timiyan therefore appeal to President Tinubu to not delay in the renewal of the contract to Tantita as the government cannot risk tarnishing the hope of the many hopeless people who, through the contract, are struggling to cope with the adverse effects of the removal of subsidy on the economy.

"On the basis of the gigantic benefits to the people, to the oil companies, and to the government, I want to plead with the federal government led by President Tinubu to increase and to renew this Tantita contract. It will give a lot of hopeless people hope... And it is also helping our environment, helping our communities, and it is even helping the federal government by increasing the production of crude oil.

"It will not take anything to renew the contract. Before now the government spends a lot of money to protect these facilities with no tangible results. But now the case is different: heathwise, financial-wise, security-wise, peace-wise.

"By renewing this contract, everybody will join hands together and guide these facilities. We are in business with Shell, Chevron, Agip, Mobil; we are in partner in business. So, when it goes well in terms of increased production, the NDDC, DESOPADEC, Niger Deta Ministry can go ahead and execute projects in our various communities," he stressed.

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