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Tag: pipeline

  • Pipeline surveillance contract no solution to oil theft

    Pipeline surveillance contract no solution to oil theft

    Former militant leader, ‘Commander’ Bibi Duku, headed a group on  security in the Niger Delta for President Mohammadu Buhari. In this interview with SHOLA O’NEIL, he speaks on the alleged fraud in the amnesty and pipeline surveillance contracts awarded by the past administration, expectation of Niger Deltans from the new government, among other issues.

    Kidnapping and other vices have prevented people from coming to invest and settle in the region, how do you think this can be avoided?

    How to handle kidnapping, killings, sea piracy and other vices found in the region have being well mapped out since two years ago. I came out with how these issues will be dealt with and I went to see the former president to seek his consent, but because I was not in the government, they did not listen to me. We know these criminals and we are ready to collaborate with the new government to tackle this issue once and for all. If the government had been taking care of the youths in the region, I believe that none of them will want to go out and carry out these nefarious activities.

    Despite the award of surveillance contracts to ex-militants, pipeline vandalism has continued, what is the solution?

    Because of the selfish interests of the immediate past government, they gave these contracts to people they thought will secure the pipelines. Yes, they are capable of securing these facilities, but because of their criminal nature they decided to look the other way. They cannot tell me that they do not know those that are involved in carrying out this vandalism. As a leader in a community, you are supposed to know those that are capable of vandalising pipelines and where all these illegal bunkering is being carried out. If you know and you do nothing, it means you are involved too.

    If I was the president, I would arrest all those that were given the power to secure these facilities because they cannot claim to be ignorant of what is going on in their areas. What I am saying is that people who were giving the contract to secure these facilities did not do their jobs because they know those that are vandalising these facilities and they refused to arrest them because they are also part of the rogues.

    On the recent renewal of the pipeline contracts and calls for review

    These are issues that the new administration has to look into again. We will find out if the contract was really renewed, or they paid the money to these bad leaders and they did not pay the boys.

    Do you support calls for scrapping of the surveillance contracts?

    If the government comes out and say they have all it takes to guard these pipelines, they should revoke the contract and do the surveillance themselves because I believe that they are the government and they have all it takes to guard lives and property in the country. I don’t see why they should give a security contract to bloody civilians when they have the army, navy and police and other paramilitary outfits.

    Some people think that think illegal bunkering cannot take place without the active collaboration of the military

    Military officers bribe to come to the Niger Delta region. The military cannot tell me that they do not know anything about illegal bunkering in the region. How will you explain how the barges manage to pass the military checkpoints in the river? Let us not be deceived; we should know whether these people are carrying out their duties or not. This only shows that the military are taking bribes from the illegal oil bunkerers. I know that my people can bribe their way out of anything. The new administration should take these things into consideration.

    As somebody that worked for the victory of the new administration, what role do you think you should play?

    The role I want to play in this new administration is to fight corruption to a standstill and bring criminality in the creeks and land to its barest minimum. I will fight the bad characters that we have in the region to a standstill and I will not allow any individual to hold us to ransom. I have the capacity to mobilize my men to bring anybody who wants to cheat the people of the region to his knees. I am going to fight against cultism. We are going to monitor all corrupt individuals in the region and report them to the appropriate authorities because we do not expect President Buhari to come down from Abuja to fight the fight for us.

    We have a lot of bad leaders in the region who are bent on tarnishing the image of other good leaders. My advice to them is that they should not fight against God because if they do, they will die. Anybody who is fighting against the Niger Delta struggle will die. I also want us to give this new administration some time to settle down. Let us first see what they have for us whether it is for our benefit or not before we start to make any trouble.

  • Disarmament, amnesty, pipeline contract review top SSLM demands

    The South-South Liberation Movement is one of the foremost militant groups involved in the Niger Delta struggle. In its heydays, the leader of the group, Comrade John Adie, boasted that it had over 25,000 youths undergoing training in the creeks of the region to be deployed to fight the perceived injustice meted on the oil-producing communities.

    But nearly a decade on, the group has evolved after denouncing the alleged hijack of the struggle by sea pirates and criminals who hid under the guise of agitation to amass wealth and unleash mayhem on national assets and hapless communities. To show its disapproval of the state of affairs in the region, SSLM leaders, Comrade John Adie and Comrade Ewerode joined force with the opposition All Progressive Congress in the fight to unseat the Peoples’ Democratic Party-led administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Arising from a post-election meeting held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital last weekend, the group gave the incoming APC-led Administration a list of critical areas to review in order to ensure lasting peace and security in the region.

    The National Coordinator and Secretary, Comrade John Adie and Goddy Ewerode, respectively, who visited The Nation’s office in Port Harcourt, with the resolution, expressed their solidarity with the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

    First, it urged the President-elect to set up a committee to check and identify communities and individuals who own illegal armouries, cache of weapons and ammunition in order to disarm, rehabilitate and integrate them into the society. The group’s leader warned that unless the illegal arms and ammunition in the region are consciously mopped up by the Federal Government, few individuals and communities would continue to hold the government to ransome.

    Adie, said the group resolved that there is a need to institute a “probe into alleged fraud in the Federal Government’s amnesty programme and the pipeline surveillance contracts awarded to former militant leaders by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    “The surveillance contract should be revisited to check the fraud associated with it. The surveillance contract was given to few individuals in the Niger Delta who were working for PDP. The lopsidedness in the surveillance contract has caused Nigeria a lot of problem; this has made some ethnic groups in the Niger Delta to blow pipelines. The contract should be awarded to all and sundry.

    “That the incoming APC Administration should look into the amnesty progamme and totally re-organized the amnesty programme because the real agitators were not given opportunities to participate in the Amnesty programme those benefiting from Amnesty today are common criminals, local hunters and local vigilantes who bought local arms and submitted  to participate in the Amnesty programme. Some are political Amnesty beneficiaries.

    “If this is not done the peace we are fighting for will elude us. Kinsley Kuku alone has about 4,000 slots to the detriment of others. All this cock and bull stories about the Amnesty is a big lie and a big deceit to the people of Niger Delta and the people of Nigeria at large. This group of cartel diverted the Amnesty budget to their pocket. We further demand that they should publish the names of persons trained abroad and within Nigeria and come up with the camp that they belonged to during the struggle because those that are on training today are brothers and sisters of these cartels,” Adie added.

    For his part, Ewerode explained that the SSLM was prepared to work with the incoming administration to realise the dream of a developed Niger Delta region and a better Nigeria, where corruption and fraud are treated as taboo rather than the norm in the society in line with the President-elect’s dream and vision for the country.

    To this end, the SSLM leaders said, “The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development commission NDDC should be re-structured with men and women of proven integrity appointed to manage them.

    “We also call on the incoming Administration to probe the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), an agency responsible for the regulation of the activities of Nigeria Shipping, Maritime, Labour and Coastal Water and the Federal Inland Revenue Service. These agencies stink with corruption and financial improprieties.”

    On the outcome of the March 28 and April 11 Presidential and State elections in the region, the group said the outcome did not reflect the wishes and desires of the people.

    “SSLM is the first group that started the organization for better development in the Niger Delta, before sea pirates and criminals came into the scene in the name of fighting for freedom in the Niger Delta. It was in view of our belief and conviction that Buhari means well for Nigeria that on November 7th 2014 we applied to the office of the National Chairman of the APC as an NGO/support group.”

    Nevertheless, they accused five of the six INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners in the six states of the South South zone of compromising their positions and blatantly working for PDP. They singled out the Electoral Commissioner in Edo State, Chief Mike Igini, as the only REC “who has proven to us again that he is worthy of his job.”

    “

  • That pipeline protection contract

    After six years of lack-lustre performance, President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to relinquish Nigeria’s presidency on My 29, 2015. But like the proverbial Whiteman that defecates on the chair before vacating his seat, Jonathan is bent on leaving behind some mess for the incoming administration.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised concern over what it called last minute looting of the nation’s resources, secret sales of government property and massive recruitment into the public service by the departing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led Federal Government. While these might not be entirely true, it behoves the Jonathan administration to tread with caution, its last days in office, in order not to create problems for the incoming administration.

    And one of such likely problems is the planned handover of the job of protecting the nation’s oil/gas pipelines and waterways to former militants and self determination groups by President Jonathan. Barring any last minute change, former Niger Delta militants/warlords, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), Mujaheedin Asari-Dokubo and Chief Bipobiri Ajube (aka Gen. Shoot-At-Sight) together with Dr Frederick Faseun and Ganiyu Adams of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), should be in charge of protecting these vital economic facilities. They were billed to take over from the various security agencies yesterday.

    Looking at the implications of contracting out such important duty of government to private individuals/companies, to the security of state, one would have expected President Jonathan to leave the decision on the outsourcing of such assignment to the incoming administration. The pipelines and waterways are treasured national assets that should not be placed in the hands of anybody or group of people other than agents of the state.

    Considering the cry over poor funding of our armed forces and other security agencies, the N9.3 billion to be expended on the pipeline protection contract for the former militants could go a long way in adequately arming the Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Police to provide the needed security for these pipelines and our waterways. These are bodies/organizations statutorily empowered to carry out the job of protecting these facilities, and if for whatever reason they have been unable to do so effectively, the solution is not to outsource their duties, but to ensure they carry out such duties.

    Moreover it is doubtful if any of these contractors have any requisite knowledge or training on how to carry out the assignment. Giving them the contract amounts to merely giving ‘job to the boys’ to keep them quiet or away from crime. While it is good and even necessary for government to either provide gainful employment for all or create a conducive environment for everybody so willing to be gainfully employed, this kind of job being given to Tompolo and others is beyond their level of competence and should be stopped immediately.

    If Jonathan insists on going ahead with the contract, the incoming administration on taking over power should halt the implementation as soon as possible. If the government feels there is a need for a special force to be in charge of protecting these facilities, it should create such and put under its control, just like it created the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to take care of road safety matters and drug law enforcement in the country.

    I had complained about this contract in the past when it was first mooted. I have nothing personal against the people involved, but I believe that the security of state, including that of the citizens and vital state facilities/resources should not be put in the hands of private individuals. And considering the past activities of some of those benefiting from the contract, I believe it amounts to rewarding criminality if those who had at one time or another taken up arms against the government in the past, should be so rewarded, if at all they should be rewarded, the Niger Delta  amnesty programme notwithstanding.

    While the incoming General Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has promised not to probe Jonathan or any of his predecessors, this type of pipeline protection contract could leave the new government with no choice than to look into the books of the outgoing government. And Nigerians would definitely understand if the new government came to this.

    There are some actions of the Jonathan government that would and should definitely be looked into. No responsible government would want to close its eyes to the disappearance of 20 billion USD oil earning not remitted into the federation account by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as alleged by the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano.

    Sanusi, as CBN government made the allegation and instead of Jonathan looking into it fired the apex bank boss. It is believed that Sanusi’s appointment as Emir of Kano probably prevented Jonathan from further persecuting for making the revelation.

    President-elect, Buhari is right in saying he would look into the books on this matter once he assumes office on May 29, 2015. Nigerians would understand why. We need to know who was saying the truth; Sanusi or Jonathan’s government that says no $20billion was missing. Corruption is at the root of our problems in this country and until issues like the alleged missing oil money is satisfactorily dealt with and the truth uncovered, and punishment meted out if necessary; corruption will continue to thrive in Nigeria. $20billion is big money and no effort must be spared by Buhari to uncover the truth and no sacred cow must be left untouched if at all somebody or some people tampered with that money.

    The president-elect should also look into the bogus oil subsidy being paid by the federal government to importers of petrol. This is another platform where Nigeria is being defrauded of huge sums of money.

    The fraudulent practices are not of monetary nature alone. There is so much fraud in our electoral system which if not stopped could derail this democracy. The last general elections and the sham that took place in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States just to mention a few, in the name of election was enough to show that all is not well with our democracy in spite of the worldwide kudos given to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its chairman, Attahiru Jega for a job well done.

    It was glaring that no election took place in these two states and yet results, votes, running into millions were declared. Who did the voting? While the judiciary should be left alone to determine whether it was right for INEC to declare result in the face of so many irregularities in these states, conscious efforts should be made by the Buhari administration to reform our electoral system such that votes would count. It would be wise for the incoming administration to look into the Justice Uwais Commission report in this regard.

    As Jonathan prepares his hand over notes, it is hoped that the president would make himself available to the new government for clarification on some of his actions if need be. Let us thank the president once again for that concession speech. For once in six years, he did something good.

  • Pipeline fire kills mother, three children in Delta

    A Mother and her three children died in an oil spill fire last week.

    The spill emanated from the Shell owned Riapele-Forcados Trunkline in Odidi, Warri South West of Delta State.

    The Nation gathered that the victims – Mrs Ebosine Photo (36), Siyafa (16), Gift (6) and a toddler, went fishing and got burnt to death while trying to put on a hurricane lamp, unaware the water was polluted by crude oil.

    Confirming the incident yesterday, a community leader, Friday Deinghan, said they had contacted the company.

    Deinghan said no Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) had been put together to ascertain the cause and extent of damage since the community noticed bubbles on the blowout spot and reported to Shell last Thursday.

    “The woman and her children were fishing more than three kilometres away from the spill point, unmindful that the crude oil had spread across the river. It was at night.

    “She made to light a hurricane lamp as they mend their nets and fishing traps. Immediately she lit it and dropped it into the water, the thing caught fire and engulfed the four of them.

    “The community promptly notified Shell, asking them to boom the place to arrest the oil from spreading, but they refused.

    “As I speak, it is a serious humanitarian concern in the community as the people are confused. People can’t go for fishing; something urgent needs to be done,” he said.

  • Shell completes sale of OML 29, pipeline

    Shell completes sale of OML 29, pipeline

    The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has completed the sale of its interest in oil mining lease (OML) 29 and the Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL) and related facilities in the Eastern Niger Delta.

    According to SPDC’s Corporate Media Relations Manager Precious Okolobo, the oil major’s interests in OML29 and the NCTL were sold to Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production (E&P) Company Limited.

    Total cash proceeds for Shell amount to some $1.7 billion.  This divestment is part of the strategic review of SPDC’s onshore portfolio and is in line with the Federal Government’s aim of developing Nigerian companies in the country’s upstream oil and gas business, he added.

    Through SPDC and its other Nigerian companies, Shell produces the oil and gas needed to help fuel the economic and industrial growth that generates wealth for the nation and jobs for Nigerians.

    OML29 covers an area of 983 square kilometres and includes the Nembe, Santa Barbara and Okoroba fields and related facilities. The NCTL is 100 kilometres long and has a capacity of 600 thousand barrels per day. It was commissioned in 2010 and evacuates crude to the Bonny Crude Oil Terminal (BCOT).

    BCOT is not part of the transaction and will remain owned and operated by the SPDC Joint Venture.

  • Pipeline vandalism

    •200 cases in six months intolerable!

    Our fear regarding the nation’s oil sector’s grubby management is better exemplified by scandalous reports emanating from a senior government official, stating that the nation in the last six months recorded over 200 incidences of crude oil and gas pipeline vandalism. So, what other confirmation could better corroborate the reality that law and order have finally broken down in that money-spinning sector of the economy?

    Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power, at a media parley in Abuja alarmingly declared: “Over 200 incidences were recorded in six months on the Trans Niger crude pipeline in the East, affecting Okoloma gas supply. These regular interruptions on the Trans Forcados crude oil pipeline affect gas supply in the West. Sabotage incidents have constrained gas supply to power plants and held generation at less than 4,500MW.”

    Sadly, the government has routinely regaled Nigerians with how such criminal practices have been impeding power supply since 81 per cent of power generated in the country originates from thermal generation plants that rely solely on gas. But the government hardly told Nigerians how many billions had gone into employing militants to guard the pipelines without meaningful results.

    Apart from pipeline vandalism, the nation has been befuddled with routine oil thefts to the tune of 400,000 barrels per day despite having several millions of dollar security contract with the leadership of Niger Delta militants. For example, some former militants and self-styled ‘generals’. Ebikabowei “Boyloaf” Victor Ben and Ateke Tom, have for almost three years been reportedly receiving $3.8 million a year each to have their men guard oil pipelines they hitherto attacked in the Niger Delta creeks. The same applies to another militant leader, Government “Tompolo” Ekpumopolo who purportedly receives $22.9 million a year to perform the same job. Asari Dokubo, a popular militant leader, is reportedly enjoying his own bite of the juicy pipelines protection deal.

    Despite this unnecessarily huge security expenditure on incorrigible militants by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the humdrum vandalisation going on and the despicable oil theft have left us wondering why the contracts with these militants have not been terminated. Without equivocation, the whole essence of the contracts has been defeated.

    We consider as imperative the need to ask some questions: Who are the vandals destroying these pipelines? Are they known to the militant leaders, and truly under their control? If yes, why has the problem of pipeline vandalism been so nauseatingly persistent over the years? What happened to the money so far given to Tompolo, Dokubo, Boyloaf and Ateke Tom, to ensure adequate protection of the pipelines? Does it still make sense to continue the contracts in view of the obvious failure of these militants to justify the contracts? Would the problem of pipeline vandalism ever be solved with the suspected complicity from powerful quarters?

    The revelation by Professor Nebo on the upsurge in pipeline vandalism is a serious indictment on a government that spends millions of hard-earned currency yearly on the protection of oil pipelines without getting the desired results. Assuming those vandals are saboteurs, then those militants paid to do the job of protecting the pipelines but are found wanting in discharging their duties are no less so. Even those paying such amount to them at a time that majority of Nigerians are facing hard times qualify for the same appellation.

    We are tired of a government that has made daily bemoaning of sordid state of affairs in the oil sector its pastime when it has all the powers to change the tide for good but has demonstrated gross incapability to do this.

  • Disquiet in Lagos community over gas pipeline project

    Disquiet in Lagos community over gas pipeline project

    The Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline expansion project is under threat as Igbooye community in Epe, a Lagos suburb, insists it be paid compensation, even as it demands that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) be carried out. ADEBISI ONANUGA reports. 

    The Igbooye community in Epe, a Lagos suburb, is known for its peace and tranquillity which the residents relish. This state of affairs has been ageless as their forebears loathed strife. That was in the yesteryear.

    The peace and calmness that had been the features of the community got shattered few weeks back as the people of the ancient town took to the streets to protest against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Zakhem Construction Company Limited over their refusal to pay compensation for their lands which the two organisations encroached into in the second phase of Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline project.

    Residents of the community were also demanding that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) be conducted on their land encroached upon by the gas pipeline as required by law for the safety of the environment.

    The people, who are majorly farmers, claimed to have lost about 10 kilometre stretch of their farmlands to the project, including other environmental consequences they may have to contend with as a direct consequence of the project.

    The protest was spearheaded by the community’s heads of the various ruling houses and families, including Alhaji Mikhail Kadiri, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo, Alhaji Waidi Lasisi from Erelu Ruling House, Alhaji Safiriyu Bakare from Osikadewa Ruling House and Apostle Matthew Odunlami from Shamba Ruling House, among others.

    On November 12, this year, the people made good their threat as they marched to the construction sites, forcing the workers to move their caterpillars, giant generators and welding machines out of Igbooye land to the neighbouring Ibonwon town.

    They defied the directive of the monarch of the town, the Orijeru of Igbooye land, Oba Michael Gbadebo Onakoya, who was alleged to have emboldened the NNPC and staff of the construction firm, Zakhem to carry on with their job.

    Alhaji Kadiri, who was at the head of the protest, told the construction workers that they would not be allowed to work until the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) meets the community’s demands.

    Kadiri alleged that the NNPC and the construction company reneged on payment of compensation to the community and the families whose lands were encroached into as a result of the gas pipeline project.

    He said the elders of the community had exchanged correspondence with the DPR, under whose supervision the NNPC operates as a subsidiary, on the issues but that the corporation has been economical with the truth.

    About five months ago, the Head of the Ewade Ruling House, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo had written the Director, DPR, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island to remind the department of an earlier letter dated March 3, this year, complaining over the refusal of the construction company, Zakhem Constructions, to pay compensation to the community.

    “It is therefore pertinent that this issue is attended to, particularly now that the laying of the gas pipeline is approaching our community which may be resisted,” he warned.

    In his earlier letter to the DPR, Otunba Musa-Adebamowo had complained that since after the September, 2012 meeting between the representatives of the NNPC led by its Community Relations/Liaison Officer on the project and elders of the community, nothing has been heard from the officer.

    “Although without the knowledge and consent of the elders and chiefs of the community, the EIA report on the project was disputed maliciously by the deposed Oba of Igbooye, M. G. Onakoya whose chieftaincy case is currently on appeal.

    “We therefore pray for your intervention as we are law-abiding citizens. The community may resist the laying of the gas pipeline if the necessary compensations are not paid appropriately,” he said.

    The letters were copied to Assistant Director, Gas, S.A. Babalola and Deputy Director, Gas Division.

    It was gathered that trouble in the community started in March 2012 when some elders of the community held meeting with representatives of the NNPC and the construction company to discuss the issue of compensation on the areas of land affected by the gas pipeline project before work would commence in the area.

    The community was alleged to have been represented at that meeting by the monarch and heads of ruling houses and at which promises of compensation were made. Aside from the name of the monarch and the Odofin, Anthony Oguntimehin, other names listed and alleged to have attended the March 2012 consultation meeting included those of Chief F.O. Adebambo; Chief F.A. Bakare; Bishop P. Odunlami; Chief Nurudeen Tomola; Hon. Afisu Amisu; Mr. Quadri Shuaib and Mr. Lekan Ajayi.

    However, more than a year after the meeting, the community was still waiting for the compensation which the company promised them.

    The monarch has, however, denied being part of the meeting, alleging forgery of his name and signature alongside others listed in the attendance sheet.

    It was gathered that when compensation was no longer forthcoming, some members of the community decided to visit the NNPC to find out the true position of things. There it was revealed to them that “compensation” had been paid to some people alleged to have claimed to be from the community. But neither does anybody knew how much was paid nor who collected the money.

    However, a chain of events, it was revealed, has led to the tensed situation and suspicions in the town.

    The Federal Ministry of Environment, acting on the strength of the compensation supposedly paid to the community, had written the chairman of Epe Local Government Area requesting for a 21-day “public display exercise on the EIA of the proposed construction of Escravos-Lagos pipeline Phase II” by the NNPC from January 14 to February 21, last year.

    The letter, dated January 7, 2013 and signed by Abbas O. Suleiman on behalf of the minister, requested the Chairman of the Epe Local Government Area to publicly display the EIA report in an easily accessible location between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily for stakeholders/public comments and to forward all reactions to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry on or before February 18, 2013.

    But at the close of the exercise, nobody showed up, neither did anybody pass any comment from the community on the EIA since they were not part of it.

    It was gathered that the Igbooye community denied the EIA document at a meeting held at the instance of the Chairman of Epe Local Government Area, Otunba Agbaje at the Oba Onakoya’s palace on March 11, last year as none of its members was aware of the purported exercise.

    The view that the purported EIA may be a ruse was further reinforced by a letter dispatched by the council chairman, Otunba Agbaje dated March 11, last year, to the Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, of its receipt of the purported EIA report.

    The letter, however, clarified the fact that “no team on EIA from Abuja ever visited the Oba of Igbooye land nor had any meeting with residents or representatives of the community at any point in time.”

    A similar letter dated same day and signed by the Higher Environment Health Officer of the Epe Local Government Area, Osunsanya, Adesola M., was also sent to the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja.

    The letter, which contained a six-point situation report on the disputed EIA stated, among others, that the Orijeru of Igbooye land, Oba Onakoya claimed he was at no time invited to any meeting, nor did he send any representative to the consultative forum on or after March 18, 2012 and that his name and signature were forged.

    It stated that “every other names/persons on the EIA report were faceless, unknown and fictitious as they are not residents or representatives of the community.

    It further stated that no member of the EIA team visited the monarch in respect of the project.

    It suggested that a fresh exercise of the EIA be conducted as it affects Igbooye community and that the authentic community members should be consulted appropriately to be in attendance.

    On April 25, last year, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs forwarded the letter from the Chairman of Epe Local Government Area to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Cabinet Office Alausa Secretariat.

    The letter, signed by the Permanent Secretary, L.A.D. Dabiri highlighted “certain anomalies bordering on communication gap between the Federal Ministry of Environment and the people of Epe as well as the displeasure of Oba Onakoya”.

    The letter urged the SSG “to play the complementary role of using her good offices to bring the development to the attention of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja and having the EIA re-conducted in the concerned community as requested by the people of Igbooye land in Epe, Lagos State as well as report the case of forgery of signatures to the Minister for Environment.”

    About a month later, the SSG forwarded the letter, signed on his behalf by P.A. Dosunmu and attached documents from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to the Commissioner, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and requested him to “please look into the issue and thereafter brief his Excellency, the Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola accordingly”.

    But events in the town, took a new turn when the elders of the town allegedly approached the monarch and asked to know if indeed compensation had been paid as demanded. It was alleged that the monarch rather urged the elders to desist from doing anything that will stop the project.

    The monarch also denied a meeting supposedly held with the representatives of Federal Ministry of Environment led by Prof. Stephen Omoregbe.

    The monarch, in a petition to the Minister of Environment dated March 3, 2013, complained that those who purportedly represented the community “were not members of Igbooye community.

    “On close examination of the minutes of the meeting of the consultative forum dated March 18, 2012, and the names and signatories on the attendance list attached, it was glaring that all signatories on the attendance list were not members of Igbooye community. Also, the Kabiyesi’s name on the list was wrong and the signature forged.”

    The letter, signed by the monarch and Odofin/Community Secretary, A.A. Oguntimehin stated further “…no meeting of such was held at all with our Kabiyesi and any of the high chiefs of the community. We would therefore suggest that a real meeting be arranged so that our community would be assured that the Federal Government meant well for our community,” it stated.

    Attempts to speak with the monarch on the issue failed as he was said to have travelled out of town when reporters visited his palace at Igbooye. His wife, Olori Adenike said only the monarch could speak on the issue.

    However, the Project Manager of the NNPC on the gas pipeline expansion project, Mr. Bello reportedly met with elders and people of the town at the community town hall few days after the protest.

    Sources said Mr. Bello assured the community that they would be compensated appropriately.

    Otunba Musa-Adebamowo, who confirmed the town hall meeting, said the community was requested to forward a fresh letter detailing their demands to the DPR.

    The community was also requested to undertake a measurement of the distance covered by the gas pipeline project within the town and forward same to the DPR while steps would be taken to conduct a fresh Environmental Impact Assessment of the affected land.

    In addition, it was agreed that the companies involved in the project would initiate empowerment programmes for youths of the town, among others.

    But, Alhaji Kadiri vowed that the community would return to trenches if the corporation and the construction company failed to fulfil their promises on payment of compensation.

  • Arco targets offshore in holding structure

    Arco targets offshore in holding structure

    Arco Group Plc is seeking a  wider spot in the international oil and gas market in line with its new business strategies of stimulating growth within and outside the country, its Chairman, Joseph Akpieyi, has said.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the company’s annual general meeting in Lagos, Akpieyi said the company hitherto known as Arco Petrochemical Engineering Plc, will explore growth opportunities across the African continent.

    He said: “Prior to the incorporation of Arco Group, Arco Petrochemical Engineering Company Plc (APEC) was coordinating Arco companies in addition to its maintenance and engineering services. “APEC will now formally cease to exist. The newly incorporated Arco Maintenance and Engineering Limited (AMEL) will take over the maintenance and engineering functions. By this, AMEL becomes a subsidiary of Arco Group Plc.”

    He said Arco Pipeline Solution Limited, one of the subsidiaries of Arco Group, had executed an offshore contract last year,  adding that the group wants to consolidate its footprints in the international market.

    He said: “Arco Pipeline Solutions Limited has successfully obtained the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Certification with Bureau Veritas in 2013, through which it was able to get international contract.

    “All companies within the Arco Group have commenced the process of getting ISO certification for growth. We are leveraging on the success of Arco Pipeline Solutions to successfully obtain ISO Certification. We believe the Certification will improve Arco’s competitive edge in delivering high quality products and services within Nigeria and overseas, especially in West and Central Africa.”

    Akpieyi said the firm  has a five-year strategic plan that would chart the course of the organisation towards sustainability.

    Its Managing Director, Alfred Okoigun, said 35 firms have been incorporated as subsidiaries of Arco Group Plc to engage in businesses ranging from oil and gas, electricity, manufacturing, construction, fabrication, to technology and entertainment.

  • Shippers set access to gas pipeline

    Shippers set access to gas pipeline

    •Constitutes committee to explore possibilities

    The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAGPCo) has opened its pipeline to be accessed by independent gas shippers to maximise the potential of the facility, which  has been underused over the years.

    Its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Harriet Wereko-Brobby, said the management decided to open the facility so that there should be additional gas to fill it.

    Data show that the capacity of the pipeline is 474 million standard cubic feet of gas (mmscf) but the contractual volume signed with the foundation customers is 134mmscf, which is about 170 million British thermal unit Btu. British thermal unit is used to measure the energy of gas, that is, the caloric value (heat content), while the volume of gas is measured in standard cubic feet.

    She said what the company wants to achieve by opening access to the asset is to put into use a substantial part of the unused capacity. The data obtained by The Nation, shows that even if the entire foundation customers’ volume of 134mmscf is fully utilised, there is still 340mmscf unused capacity. Therefore, by opening access to the pipeline, the company tries to encourage independent gas shippers to buy gas directly from producers, that is, oil companies in Nigeria such as Shell, Chevron, Seplat, Total, among others, after which WAGPCo will transport the gas to the shipper’s destination in Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana.

    However, such shippers, according to WAGPCo, will be registered and licensed, and must meet all the necessary requirements and standards needed by the regulator, West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA).

    WAGPA regulates WAGPCo as the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) regulates the Nigerian oil and gas industry, so before WAGPCo moves gas for a shipper, the shipper must have a licence, have the gas, demonstrate ability to meet specification, and ensures meeting all the requirements.

    Mrs Wereko-Brobby said: “What we have been doing is encouraging and working with our stakeholders, that is, those for whom we transport gas to enter into arrangement with the producers of that gas so that we would be able to fill our pipeline. Some of them in Ghana, Togo and Benin Republic, have started engaging with gas producers in Nigeria trying to get contract memoranda of understanding so that they would be able to get additional gas to fill our pipeline.

    “At the same time we are continuing our engagement with those protecting our pipeline. We have had two forums; we brought together the stakeholders, subject matter experts from different organisations, naval forces, maritime and ports authorities from different countries. They all came together, sat down and talked about what can be done and how to protect the pipeline. And they also indicated their interest in protecting the workers giving instances of pirates that are not only dangerous to WAGPCo but also all the companies that have formations in the sea. So in the sub-region and even on the ECOWAS’ level, they have assured that it is a matter of highest priority to protect the pipeline and all the nations are collaborating to do that.

    “We brought them together so that we can discuss not only the physical protection but any technological advancement that we can take advantage of.  The success of WAGPCo is very important to ECOWAS. What they feel is that if WAGPCo succeeds, that means all other efforts for regional integration can succeed, so they are very interested in WAGPCo success as a way of making sure that we will have a framework for regional integration programme.

    “We also have a committee set up right now that will set forward the programme. The committee will try and come up with different methods of protecting the pipeline and also ensuring the reliability.

    “The committee is now developing its terms of reference and the expectation is that the terms of reference will be prepared by next month. Once members of the committee come up with their terms of reference, which will be within the next six months to one year, they should have come up with a plan, which will be commenced immediately after. Some of the actions that were identified at that forum such as physical patrol have been started.”

  • Russia,China launch gas pipeline

    Russia and China have begun the construction of a new gas pipeline linking the countries, with a ceremony in the Siberian city of Yakutsk.

    China’s CNPC has agreed to buy $400bn (£240billion) of gas from Russia’s Gazprom.

    Russia will ship 38 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas yearly over 30 years.

    The deal will lessen Russia’s dependence on European buyers, who have imposed economic sanctions because of the crisis in Ukraine.

    The construction ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladmir Putin and Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli.

    China will start work on the construction of its side of the pipeline in the first half of next year, Mr Zhang said.

    The first gas will be pumped from Siberia to north-east China in early 2019.

    Over the past 10 years, China has used other gas suppliers. Turkmenistan is now China’s largest foreign gas supplier. Last year, it started importing piped natural gas from Myanmar.

    China is Russia’s largest single trading partner, with bilateral trade flows of $90billion (£53billion) in 2013.

    The two neighbours aim to double the volume to $200billion in 10 years.