President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged not to give in to calls by syndicates who are out of the oil theft business, to terminate the oil pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL) which is due for renewal.
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (CHURAC), Ebikonbowei Alaowei Esq., in a statement on Monday, said the call to terminate the contract was a ploy to return to the old ways of siphoning the nation’s commonwealth.
Given the huge successes recorded in the last one year by TSSNL with daily outputs rising from 937,766 million barrels per day(mbp) to 1.014,485mbp by October 2022, renewing the surveillance contract was the best thing to do.
“We as critical stakeholders in the fight against corruption in every strata of the society, wish to commend former President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the award of the contract to private security companies to guide and protect the oil pipelines in the Niger Delta region.
“There’s no gainsaying the fact that the initiative has yielded the desired results in completely riding the region of crude oil thefts.
“Indeed, the world can attest to the fact that NNPC Limited under the Buhari administration has done the noblest thing by awarding the oil pipeline surveillance contract to private security companies, especially the one awarded to Tantita Security Services Limited.
“Of course, Nigerians and by extension, the global community in the oil sector do expect that you will replicate the gains achieved by your immediate predecessor to renew the contract for the companies that performed credibly well beyond expectations.
“From the available records in your domain, the contract was split into eastern corridor, central corridor and western corridor. Ocean Marine Company secured the contract for the eastern corridor, while Tantita Security Services Limited got the central and western corridors of the contract.
“On the performance index, Tantita Security Services Limited has inflicted devastating mayhem on the illegal bunkers by exposing all the bunkering syndicates in its areas of operations thereby bringing illegal bunkering activities to zero within the central and western corridors of the contract.
“For the monster to survive in the glowing illegal business, the cartels have resorted to serial blackmails against some prominent stakeholders in the industry including the former Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Silver, the NNPCL GMD, Mele Kyari, owner of Tantita Security Services Limited, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo amongst other top players.
“Before the contract was split into three blocs, it was awarded to one company owned by the late Capt. Hosa Osunbor. Just as illegal bunkering activities were on the increase in spite of the contract, nobody ever contested against the award of the said contract to Capt. Hosa. Why is the a surge of opposition to the contract awarded to Tompolo’s Company now?
“The answer to the above questions is that the syndicates who are now being affected by Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services Limited’s fight against crude oil thefts are doing everything possible to ensure that the contract should not be awarded to the Company again or alternatively, struggling to split Tompolo’s part of the contract in order for them to safely siphon the crude oil without let or hindrance.
“The benefits Tompolo’s fight against crude oil thefts brought to the oil sector cannot be overemphasized despite the sponsored blackmails. Before the contract was awarded to Tantita Security Services Limited in August 2022, Nigeria’s daily oil production was as low as 937,766 million barrels per day(mbp) which she was struggling to meet OPEC quota of 1.8mbp. Regrettably, Nigeria was overtaken by Angola, Algeria, etc as the highest producers of crude oil in Africa.
“Immediately after Tantita Security Services Limited executed the contract, our daily outputs rose to 1.014,485mbp by October 2022, courtesy of Tantita Security Services Limited’s actions in exposing and arresting oil thefts. As of today, Nigeria’s daily production of crude oil hovers around 1.463mbp. We are happy that Nigeria has overtaken Angola and the rest of our contenders in Africa as the highest producer of crude oil. These victories can only be attributed to Tompolo’s intervention to ward off illegal bunkering activities in the oil sector.
“We plead with you to renew the contract for the oil pipeline surveillance to Tompolo’s Company once again. Now that the Country is about to beat the OPEC quota, we must not make the mistake of allowing the oil thefts to return to the field. Without prejudice to the abilities of the other applicants, it’s our belief and conviction that only Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services Limited can execute the contract to make Nigeria recover her lost glories in the oil sector,” the statement read in part.
. TheWitness
