AfriPulse
…Distributes N2bn on scholarships to 4 states, submits planks for immediate oil resumption
Nigeria has lost 32 years of 96 idle oil wells in Ogoni area of Rivers State, and an estimated $226.734 billion in revenue. Now, the pipeline protection firm that has worked with communities has called for immediate resumption of oil production in OML 11.
The company, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has submitted suggestions for resumption and what to build upon.
N2bn scholarship fund being distributed Speaking at its monthly stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in the week, PINL described the resumption of oil operations in the region as a strategic national priority, while stressing that the process must be anchored on community participation, environmental sustainability, and transparency.
Ogoni area, covered under Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11, holds the potential to produce over 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Operations were halted in 1993 following widespread unrest and environmental concerns linked to decades of exploration activities.
Akpos Mezeh, General Manager, Community and Stakeholder Relations at PINL, said the scale of accumulated losses demands urgent attention.
“Available data shows that over $226.734 billion has been lost due to the suspension of crude oil production from 96 oil wells in Ogoniland over the past 32 years. This clearly underscores both the economic cost of inaction and the immense opportunity that lies ahead,” he said.
Stakeholders at the April monthly forum to review oil asst protection strategies. PINL outlined four conditions it considers essential to a successful resumption: host communities must be involved as critical stakeholders across all phases of the process; environmental clean-up and restoration efforts already underway must be sustained; a community-based security framework — drawing on PINL’s pipeline surveillance model across the Niger Delta — should be adopted; and economic inclusion must be prioritised, with residents benefiting directly through employment, contracts, and capacity development.
Mezeh said the company’s stance reflects wider sentiment across the region.
“The position of PINL aligns with growing calls from stakeholders in the Niger Delta for the Federal Government to restart oil production in Ogoniland in a manner that balances economic benefits with environmental justice and community interests,” he said.
PINL affirmed its readiness to contribute directly to the effort. “At PINL, we stand ready to support this process by applying our experience in stakeholder engagement and infrastructure protection to ensure a peaceful, secure, and sustainable resumption,” Mezeh added.
Observers note that any successful resumption will depend on rebuilding trust among stakeholders, resolving environmental grievances, and ensuring host communities have a central role in decision-making.
PINL maintained that, with the right approach, restarting production in Ogoni could significantly boost Nigeria’s output, increase national revenue, and contribute to broader economic growth.
Meanwhile, more than 1,500 undergraduates and postgraduates across four states have benefitted from a N2bn education grant.
The beneficiaries were drawn from pipeline host communities across Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, and Abia States.
The grants, covering 216 host communities along the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and Eastern Gas Network (EGN), were allocated at N500,000 per undergraduate student and N1 million per postgraduate student.
The cheques were presented ceremonially at PINL’s April monthly stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, where Mezeh described the initiative as a direct expression of gratitude to communities that have supported the protection of the pipelines.
“This is our own way of saying thank you to our host communities. The beneficiaries total over 1,500 and we have disbursed over N2 billion — and this is exclusive of women empowerment and skill acquisition programmes,” he said.
Mezeh used the occasion to appeal to community youths to reject pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, urging them instead to take advantage of opportunities the company provides.
“We are thanking them for supporting us to protect the pipelines, and we are using this medium to appeal to youths in our communities to shun pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. They should endeavour to provide us with vital information to maintain the momentum,” he said.
He also highlighted the operational gains that community cooperation has helped sustain, noting that the company is on course to support the Federal Government’s production target.
“There is zero infraction across all our areas of operation. We are approaching the 2 million barrels per day projection of the Federal Government — we have already achieved 1.8 million, and the target is doable,” Mezeh stated.
For Donald Justice, a postgraduate student at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), the grant arrived as a turning point.
“Initially I thought it was not real, but the money came and I’m running the programme with so much ease. What they are doing is empowering the common man who never had hope of pursuing their education. This will spur me to help others when I am capable. I thank PINL for this opportunity,” he said.
Source: Businessday.ng | Read the Full Story…
