Members of Pan-Urhobo Renewed Conscience Patriots have taken a swipe on the leadership of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) over its recent call on the federal government to cancel the pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), describing the call as hostile and unnecessary.
This was contained in a press statement on Monday, signed by its Secretary General, Comrade Israel Arigbe.
The gruop stated that such call has the tendency to inflame distrust and fracture the peaceful coexistence between Urhobos and their Ijaw neighbours.
Continuing, the statement described the reason that was adduced by the Chief Ese Gam led UPU as justification for the call as pedestrian and lacking merit, even as it advised the leadership of UPU to always consult relevant stakeholders when trashing sensitive matters before taking a stand, stating that such proactive action would prevent hasty and unpopular decisions that misrepresent the sentiments and opinion of the Urhobo nation.
The statement described TSSNL as a competent indigenous company whose operations have made a commendable impact on the Nigerian economy over time, adding that evidence of Tantita’s unprecedented achievements in reduction of oil theft, illegal refinery, and improving the environmental safety of the oil-bearing communities in Delta State and beyond are in public domain for every prying eye to see.
The group further stated that thousands of youths have been offered jobs by Tantita, coupled with numerous topnotch community development projects the company has continuously executed under its corporate social responsibility policy.
The statement added, “The section 257, sub-section 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021) which was cited by the leadership of UPU as the ground upon which the call for termination of the Tantita’s pipeline contract was initiated, does not pose an iota of threat to Urhobo nation.”
The group cautioned that section 257, sub-section 2 of the PIA must not be misinterpreted to serve personal interest that undermines the collective will of the good people of Urhobo nation and endangers the existing peaceful coexistence between Urhobos and Ijaws.
The gruop charged the management of Tantita to always consult widely in the recruitment of Urhobo youths and other Nigerians into its operations to avoid being accused of favouring relatives, friends and cronies in hiring and promotion decisions at the expense of more qualified locals.
