By Obiabin Onukwugha
The National Assembly has passed a vote of confidence on Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, for its role in securing national assets and contributing to increased crude oil production for the country.
The National Assembly also passed a vote of confidence on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL and security agencies for their role in increased crude oil production.
The Joint Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives on Petroleum Resources, made the declaration at a one-day Parliamentary Roundtable on the state of pipeline security and the battle against crude oil theft, in Abuja on Wednesday.
The committee also threw out petitions against Tantita. According to the committee, three petitions were submitted to the National Assembly seeking the decentralisation of the pipeline surveillance contracts in the Niger Delta region.
It would be recalled that a group under the aegis of the Coalition of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities (CNDEN), recently asked the senate to facilitate the full decentralisation of pipeline surveillance contracts across oil producing states.
In a petition dated March 31, and addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the coalition said “the current structure of pipeline surveillance is overly centralised and excludes stakeholders and host communities in the region.”
The petition was signed by Alaye Theophilus, president of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC); Emmanuel Bieh, president of Ogoni Federated Youth; Akinfemi Omojuwa, president of Ilaje Youths Federation; Mammoth Knight, president of Ibom Youth Council; Gabriel Patterson, president of Obolo Patriotic Leaders Forum (OPLF); Usiwo Efezino, president of Isoko Leadership Youth Forum; Prince Omoko, chairman of Urhobo Youth Council; and Henry Assor, president of Ikwerre Youth Forum.
However, the lawmakers informed the gathering that the petitioners failed to appear before the committees to defend their position.
The Federal Government introduced the pipeline surveillance contract, including the engagement of private security actors and community-based structures to tackle oil theft, which impacted the nation’s oil production.