Ex-Militants In Akwa Ibom Demand Oil Pipeline Surveillance Contract

Ex-militant leaders from Akwa Ibom State have appealed to the federal government to award the surveillance contract for oil pipelines in the state to local ex-militants, which is in line with the country’s local content law.

The group also demanded greater involvement in the activities of oil companies operating in the state, particularly in the management of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT), which aims to address the needs of host communities affected by oil exploration.

The call was made in a statement released on Sunday and signed by the leader of the Niger Delta Volunteers (NDV), General Ekpo Ekpo and the group’s Director of Information and Communication, Maj. Gen. Henry Okon Etete.

The ex-militants accused both the Nigerian oil companies (IOCs) and the government of neglecting the people of Akwa Ibom despite the state’s significant contributions to the country’s oil production and earnings.

According to the statement, Akwa Ibom is one of Nigeria’s highest earners from the 13% derivation fund, a share of the country’s oil revenue allocated to oil-producing states.

However, the group lamented that, despite these contributions, communities in Akwa Ibom continue to suffer from poverty, lack of basic amenities, and high unemployment rates.

They also highlighted the environmental damage caused by persistent oil spills and gas flaring, which have devastated the region.

“It is an irony that communities in the state continue to live in penury without basic amenities. “Unemployment has reached an all-time high. Our environment continues to suffer from oil spills and gas flaring,” the statement read

The ex-militants are demanding the full implementation of the Host Community Development Trust, a framework designed to ensure that local communities benefit from the oil wealth generated in their areas.

The group emphasized the need for active participation from the community, the government, and ex-militants in the management and transparency of the trust.

“We are calling for the full implementation of the Host Community Development Trust, ensuring community, government, and ex-militants participation and transparency.

“There should be more investment in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and empowerment programmes in our villages. Strict environmental regulations must be enforced, and employment opportunities should be created,” the statement continued.

The NDV further urged the Federal Government, the state government, and the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to take urgent steps to address the plight of the people in the oil-producing communities.

The group expressed disappointment over the marginalization of ex-militants, who they claim have been abandoned by the government and the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

They stressed the importance of ensuring that the benefits of the oil wealth generated in the state reach the people who have borne the brunt of environmental degradation and economic deprivation.

“We ask the federal and state governments, as well as the IOCs, to be alive to the plight of the people by addressing the issues of marginalization, environmental degradation, and lack of economic opportunities,” the statement concluded.