As the voices championing the call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to renew as well as extend the pipeline surveillance contract currently handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) in the Niger Delta region continue to gain attention, the chairman of Kokodiagbene Community in the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West council area of Delta State, Comrade Ark Selegha, has urged those clamouring for the decentralisation of the contract in the region to rechannel their energies into reasonable agitations.

Comrade Selegha stated that those calling for the decentralisation of the pipeline surveillance contract do not have the interest of the region at heart, but are instead driven by their personal aggrandisement and greed while pretending to be fighting a just cause.

He noted further that other issues bedeviling the Niger Delta region such as the 13 percent derivation, the poor operation of seaports in the region, the ownership of marginal oil fields among others are being left on the table, while those he called "camouflaged agitators" are squaring up for securing pipelines.

In a statement released by the oil-rich community leader, the chairman revealed that the pipeline surveillance contract is beyond the safeguarding of national oil assets, but is more of preserving the natural habitat that has for years been exposed to environmental degradation.

He said, "When camouflaged agitators are calling for the decentralisation of the pipeline surveillance contract handled by Tantita, it is so obvious that their focus is just on the financial gains attached to the project. They are not talking about capacity and efficiency to deliver, as well as issues of derivation, the marine seaports that are not operational, ownership of oil wells by Niger Deltans among others.

"Meanwhile, we in the creeks have been suffering and are being suffocated by pollution for decades until when our leader High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo A.K.A Tompolo through Tantita stepped into the arena. Since then it has been a different story.

"Mind you, there are others who were and some are still handling the pipeline surveillance contract. So the focus on only Tompolo seems to be a vendetta orchestrated by those who could not get Tantita to compromise, and also those who are jealous of the success achieved by Tantita.

"For me, those agitating for the decentralisation of the contract are envious of the success achieved by Tompolo and Tantita, and moreso when a patriotic citizen like Tompolo will never compromise, but stick to doing what is right for the country and the region," he added.

The community leader therefore called on stakeholders in the region to not be fooled by the scheme being pulled by enemies of the people stressing that "Those people campaigning against Tompolo today are able to do so because of his goodwill, in that he exposed the contract and carried everyone along. Instead of them showing him gratitude, they became influenced by greed.

"The Niger Delta people should not be victims be falling to their tricks. These people do not care about the future of the region, but themselves. They want compromisation and the return of the region back to its dark days, and we are saying 'No!'" he submitted.

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