No. 10, Hospital Road, Ovom, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
GOVERNOR FUBARA STATEMENT ON THE PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE CONTRACT IS DIVISIVE AND EXTREMELY MISCHIEVOUS
He will not only speak in ignorance but out of context.
The aroma of power is intoxicating, if not, by any stretch of the imagination, His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State, should not be making sweeping comments on an issue he least understand.
He indeed spoke without reserve and enough congitation, when he played host to a Federal Government Touring Team, made up of the National Security Adviser, Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, the NNPCL, GCO, Alhaji Mele Kyari, and other dignitaries, last Saturday, in Government House, Port Harcourt.
We can't blame him for the overzealousness, afterall, he neither dreamt, nor ever thought that one day he would become governor. He had his palm kennels cracked by benevolent spirits.
What does Governor Fubara know about the Niger Delta Pipelines Surveillance Contract, that made him assume he can make such sweeping comments, before the esteemed delegation?
Governor Fubara must be playing to the gallery to soften the hearts of some powerful non-state and state actors, who we also believe are his unrepentant antagonists.
Not being a politician, who paid his dues before accessing government house and power, makes him insensitive when commenting on an omnibus issue that requires stakeholders round table talk, before it is brought out to public knowledge.
Ignorance is not an excuse. If you don't know, then ask. He simply goofed when he talked about awarding the pipeline surveillance contract to one person. It is unfortunate that such reckless utterance came from the Chief Executive of Rivers State.
Governor Fubara merely casted about without driving-in the nail fully, through mentioning names of those he attempted to malign. An indicator that he is a coward.
His Excellency, Governor Fubara, would have been ignored with his vapid statements. But for the sake of those without any knowledge of the issue he dabbled in - the pipeline surveillance contract. They would hold the opinion that the governor's comment is nothing but the fact. It is therefore reasonable to turn the cards open on the table for everyone to have a glean.
Governor Fubara's comments on the pipelines surveillance contract are not absolute nor infallible. Contrary to his feeble assertion, which a little prick of the needle will deflate, there is no single individual that is in charge of the job. He has no knowledge of the issue, as he was tucked away in an office and was busy grinding away at his job as a mere director in the civil service, at the time the contract negotiations were been hammered out.
What is on board is a centralized entity or overseeing outfit, coordinating the surveillance duties of other security organizations, which put together, form the larger nucleus.
Each organization represents their areas of influence. Simply put, there is a coordinating body that looks into the activities of different subcontractors.
There is nothing like a single contracted firm.
However, there are subcontractors handling and overseeing different territories. Hence, there is no master overseer that supretends over the entire Niger Delta region.
Every sub-unit of the job remains the head and in charge of the territory they supervise.
Tantita therefore is merely a coordinator that monitors how well every unit carries out its duty.
Governor Fubara out of deliberate mischief and intention to stoke ambers of division, refused to commend the efforts of Tantita.
His state is a major beneficiary of the successes so far recorded by TANTITA in securing pipelines in the Niger Delta. With increased crude production, revenue to his state has also increased.
The thick smug and soothes that hung on the skies of Port Harcourt has disappeared.
TANTITA's role in closing unskilled illegal crude oil refining in Rivers State is responsible for the disappearance.
The statement, therefore credited to the Governor, in this vain, are careless, unguided and misguided.
His Excellency should borrow a leaf from his predecessor who witnessed everything and nodded in support.
Just as other stakeholders did, we had expected the Governor to tow the path of gratitude and express appreciation
to TANTITA for doing a good job.
We desire that our governors rise above divisive, petty, mundane and clanish sentiments.
We have to call a spade by its name. When a governor chart a path for the purpose of generating confusion and create bad blood, then he is not serving the peoples interest for which he is elected.
Governors occupy important position in the minds of the people, what they say resonates, carry weight and are considered the facts. Hence, they must weigh their words before speaking.
Disseminating half truth laced with lies could be destructive.
Our governors must be reserved and above all measure their words before expressing views.
Niger Delta Governors should shun centrifugal tendencies that negatively polarize the people against themselves. Hence they must adopt centripetal retorics that build harmony and unity in the region.
Once again, let it be known that many stakeholders are involved in the management of the pipeline surveillance contract. No one has it in his pocket.
Signed:
CHIEF EZEKIEL UGEDI - CHAIRMAN
EFEMENA EJOMAFUVWE - SECRETARY
ORIGHOMISAN EZEKIEL - PUBLICITY SECRETARY
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