Niger Delta Group Begs Akpabio’s To Intervene In Pipeline Contracts

A coalition of Niger Delta groups and stakeholders has begged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to intervene in the Nigeria Delta pipeline contract issues to avoid problems in the region.

The coalition expressed concern over what it described as a growing “cold war” among stakeholders and former agitators in the region, warning that the situation could escalate if not urgently addressed.

The coalition, comprising organisations such as the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities and the United Niger Delta Congress, made this known during a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, Abuja, where it submitted a petition to the Senate president.

On behalf of the group, the coalition’s president-general, Dr Alaye Theophilus, said the development was largely driven by concerns about inclusion and equitable participation in pipeline surveillance operations across the region.

According to him, the current structure has created tensions among various stakeholders.

He said, “We are witnessing increasing tension among stakeholders and former agitators in the Niger Delta, largely arising from concerns about inclusion and equitable access to opportunities within the pipeline surveillance framework.”

Alaye noted that while the region remains central to Nigeria’s economic stability due to its oil and gas resources, sustaining peace and cooperation among local actors was critical to safeguarding national assets.

He explained that the coalition’s intervention was aimed at promoting dialogue and preventing further divisions.

“Our objective is to encourage a more inclusive framework that brings together stakeholders across the region in a manner that promotes cooperation, trust, and shared responsibility,” he added.

Also, national secretary of the United Niger Delta Congress, Comrade Emaluji Michael Sunday, described the coalition’s demand as a call for fairness and inclusiveness.

Reps Begin Probe Of Air, Sea Ports Terminals’ Concessionaires

The House of Representatives has launched a comprehensive probe into the performance of concessionaires operating Nigeria’s air and sea port terminals, with a call for transparency, accountability and value for money over the past two decades.

The chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. Kolawole Davidson Akinlayo, at an investigative hearing with stakeholders at the National Assembly in Abuja, described the exercise as a critical phase in the committee’s assignment.

Akinlayo said the probe would assess the effectiveness of the port concession regime introduced in 2006, which was aimed at improving efficiency, attracting private investment, and boosting infrastructure development in the aviation and maritime sectors.

“This session marks a critical phase in the committee’s assignment. Today, we shall engage directly with terminal operators whose roles have been central to the concession regime introduced nearly two decades ago,” he said.

Akinlayo explained that the policy was designed to deliver measurable economic benefits to the federal government and Nigerians, stressing that the committee would determine whether those objectives had been achieved.

“The committee’s mandate is clear: to assess performance, determine value for money, identify gaps, and ensure that the intended objectives of these concessions have been met in a transparent and accountable manner,” Akinlayo added.

He urged concessionaires to provide factual and verifiable accounts of their operations, investments, and compliance with concession agreements, stressing that the integrity of submissions would guide the committee’s final recommendations.

“We expect full cooperation, candour and professionalism from all parties,” he said.

At the hearing, the executive director, Ports and Cargo Terminal at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Lukeman Olaruwanju, highlighted significant investments made by terminal operators in equipment and infrastructure.

Olaruwanji disclosed that operators had exceeded some of their initial equipment obligations, noting that while only 20 trucks were originally required, the operators currently deploy about 125 trucks for operations, alongside increased capacity in other cargo handling equipment.

He further detailed investments in equipment such as reach stackers, forklifts, terminal tractors, and empty container handlers, with combined monetary values running into tens of millions of dollars, as well as infrastructure upgrades, including quay reinforcement and maintenance facility renovations.

The NIMASA official also noted improvements in operational efficiency, deployment of information technology systems, cybersecurity upgrades, and human capital development.