Why We Awarded Pipeline Protection Contract To Tompolo – NNPC

 

The clarification came amid reports that NNPC Limited awarded a N48bn pipeline surveillance contract to Tompolo.

The Nigerian government on Tuesday described its award of multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contract to a former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, as the ‘right decision’.

Speaking at the 49th session of the state house briefing at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, Mele Kyari, the chief executive officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, said the decision was necessitated by the need for Nigeria to hire private contractors to man its oil pipeline network nationwide due to massive oil theft.

Mr Kyari argued that it was not the first time that individuals within the Niger Delta region were awarded contracts for pipeline surveillance.

The clarification came amid reports that NNPC Limited had awarded a pipeline surveillance contract to Tompolo.

The surveillance contract is reportedly worth N48 billion per year (N4 billion per month), according to a report by The Nation.

Several militant groups in the region are reportedly angry with the federal government for leaving them out of the juicy contract, threatening to make the surveillance contract unworkable.

On Tuesday, Mr Kyari said that the federal government is not dealing directly with Tompolo but a private contractors company he has interests in.

“The security agencies are doing their part, end-to-end pipeline surveillance would require the involvement of private entities and community stakeholders,” Mr Kyari said.


“We need private contractors to man the right of way to these pipelines. So we put up a framework for contractors to come and bid and they were selected through a tender process. And we believe we made the right decision.”

According to Mr Kyari, the decision was aimed at achieving three broad objectives.

He said: “First, to ensure the government’s security agencies play their part, we have our Navy, the Army and they are doing an excellent job of containing this, but as you do this sustenance is everything and therefore we also decided that we need private contractors to man the right of way and also operate outside the right of way so that they can also join us to manage members of the community.

“We don’t have access to that and therefore, we put up a framework where contractors were selected through a tender process for people who can do it, not everyone can do it and Tompolo is just mentioned, we’re dealing with corporate entities.

“He may have interest in the company, we’re not dealing with Tompolo, but we know that he has interests.

“We know that we’re engaging all other individuals who will be of help to us in this situation. This has happened severally over time and the result was that it was contained under a process like this and we believe that we are taking the right decision,” Mr Kyari said

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