Niger Delta Group Calls for Fair Pipeline Contract Distribution

The Niger Delta Congress (UDC), represented by Mallam Obi, has called for the equitable distribution of pipeline surveillance contracts across oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta. They argue that the current structure disproportionately benefits a few major stakeholders, violating the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by excluding host communities from protecting oil facilities on their ancestral lands.

The UDC highlights that despite significant financial commitments from the federal government for pipeline surveillance, Nigeria's crude oil output remains low, hovering between 1.4 and 1.5 million barrels per day, far below its potential of two million barrels per day. They demand a comprehensive audit of the surveillance contracts to ensure transparency and accountability, urging the federal government to decentralize these contracts to enhance local participation.

The UDC also recommends that at least 35 percent of surveillance opportunities be allocated to women in oil-producing communities to foster economic empowerment and stability in the region.