Oil Resumption: PINL Brokers Peace Among Warring Factions in Ogoni

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt 

Efforts by the federal government to recommence crude oil production in Ogoniland with capacity for 200,000b/pd, has received a boost as Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) midwifed a peace deal among warring factions of the very important crude oil community, yesterday.

The peace deal, which brings to an end decades of bloody intra-community conflicts, has negatively impacted crude oil production activities and to a significant boost to daily production target as the Nigerian government aims for 2.5-million b/pd.

The feat by PINL, the pipeline surveillance contractor covering the eastern corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) is furtherance of its peace and consensus building among its 215 pipelines host communities, which has greatly to daily throughput on the TNP to 100 per cent.

Bodo in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State is a major oil bearing community and an artery for oil pipelines, gathering crude oil from various pipelines and locations, including the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) to the export terminal in Bonny. 

However, intra community squabbles among different armed gangs had for decades plague the community leading to loss of lives, development and empowerment opportunities accruing from oil production activities in the community, like participation in pipeline surveillance operations and other corporate social responsibility benefits from PINL, on the eastern corridor of the TNP.

But through its robost community engagement and peace building initiatives, PINL has been able to reconcile the various factions and yesterday, brought them together to sign a peace deal, thus ending all forms of disagreements among the factions and opening them to opportunities deliverable from the pipeline surveillance contract, among others.

Some of the key stakeholders at the meeting include, the Paramount Ruler of Bodo City, HRH, King John B. Berebon, political and youth leaders of the community, Officials of PINL, representatives of the Minister of Petroleum (Oil), National Security Adviser (NSA) the Project Management Office (PMO) and Department of State Services (DSS). 

Special Adviser to the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil) on Host Communities, Eddie Julius, speaking on the significance of the peace deal described it as timely, especially to the country and oil industry saying it would guarantee safe operations that would result in increased crude production in Bodo and the entire Ogoniland.

He informed the community representatives that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources was happy with Bodo community promising; “within the shortest possible time we will come over there to see how things are going on. 

“You know crisis never helps. It’s only understanding and accommodating yourselves that bring development to your place.”

He thanked PINL, and all who facilitated the peace deal including the NSA’s office, the PMO and the Ministry of Petroleum.

Also speaking on the importance of the peace deal the Admin, National Security Adviser NSA Niger Delta Office, Port Harcourt, Young Harry Amakiri, informed that it was significant to help in achieving the mandate of the President to increase oil production  to 2.5-million barrels per day noting that crisis anywhere that affects production, would affect that negatively. 

Amakiri stated; “This peace accord that you have come to sign today, is reconciliation. Forget about your differences and embrace it and work in unity to meet that task given to the nation. I want to plead with every one of you; as you sign this peace accord, forget about your differences and work together harmoniously.”

He also thanked PINL for achieving the peace deal saying that it has earned them additional marks to their already high marks in the execution of their mandate on security of the TNP.

Earlier in his remarks, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, PINL, General Manager, Community and Stakeholders Relations, pointed out that because of the crisis in Bodo community PINL was forced to give out the pipeline surveillance jobs for the community to outsiders saying that only the community was thus affected out of all the other 214 pipeline host communities.

“The feedback we have gotten has confirmed that we need to replicate whatever strategy we have applied in the entire 214 communities so the reason why we are here today is for us to handover the surveillance of Bodo to Bodo indigenes so that they will be solely accountable for whatever happens.”

He expressed appreciation to the leaders of Bodo, represented by the king of Bodo city, HRH John B. Berebon, Dr. Gabriel Pidomson and Chief Kenneth Kobani for all the sacrifices they made to ensure that peace was achieved. 

Speaking on behalf of the Bodo people, its paramount ruler, John B. Berebon pledged to maintain the peace and to continue to preach it among his subjects, especially the youths. 

He also promised that the community would join forces with other stakeholders to secure all national assets in the community, especially the TNP.

Berebon also pointed out that people from outside the community had been the ones instigating the crisis for their selfish interests and thanked Dr. Gabriel Pidomson and Chief Kenneth Kobani for facilitating the peace process.

He advised the youths to understand that a peaceful Bodo city was in their own interest and so they should work hard to ensure that nothing disrupted it any further reiterating the warning from the NSA office against anyone found trying to disrupt operations or involving themselves in oil theft.

Berebon called for continuous engagement of the community by PINL and other stakeholders. “Keep relating with me as the paramount ruler. So that we continue to get good result. By the time we keep on going in that direction, I know that we will keep on succeeding. And there will be no loopholes in these issues.”