Niger Delta Coalition Urges Decentralization of Contracts

On a recent date, a coalition of Niger Delta ethnic nationalities, including the Ijaw Youth Council led by Dr. Alay Theophilus and the Ibom Youth Council, petitioned Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, at the National Assembly.

They called for the urgent decentralization of pipeline surveillance contracts, which they argue currently favor a few entities and exclude local stakeholders. This centralization has led to unhealthy competition and grievances among ethnic groups, risking open conflict and further destabilization of the region.

The coalition highlighted that despite increased spending on pipeline security, crude oil production has declined from an average of 2.0 million barrels per day to between 1.5 and 1.7 million barrels. They emphasized that local stakeholder involvement is crucial for effective pipeline protection and proposed that decentralizing these contracts could significantly increase oil production to between 2.8 and 3.0 million barrels per day, thereby addressing current tensions and ensuring regional stability.