By Etop Ekanem

Oyangbene Autonomous Community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State has called on President Bola Tinubu to ignore calls for decentralisation of Tantita pipeline surveillance contract.

In a statement by Dr Enewarididideke Ekanpou, Mr Collector Ekanpou and Mr Thompson Maika on behave of the community, the calls for decentralisation is an illogical move not tied to any good reason other than envy and selfishness.

According to the community, “the performance of Tantita over the years is commendable and since the call for decentralisation is not dictated by issues of non-performance, President Bola Tinubu must not be swayed by this selfish move.

“Only core enemies of Niger Delta agitate illogically for decentralisation of Tantita when issues of incompetence and non-performance are not involved.

“In strong terms we hereby condemn this baseless, puerile and envy-loaded campaign of calumny against Tantita Security Services Limited disguised as a patriotic call for contract-decentralisstion.

“Tantita is doing wonderfully in performance in the Niger Delta through the engagement of different communities placed on monthly salaries. Neighbouring communities such as Akparemogbene and Ekameta have been meaningfully engaged by Tantita. Though Oyangbene Autonomous Community is yet to benefit from Tantita’s strategic engagement magnanimity targeted to end crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, we are happy to see how our neighbouring communities have been touched developmentally, engaged and empowered by Tantita.

“As long as our neighbouring communities like Akparemogbene and Ekameta are beneficiaries, we are opposed to any call for decentralisation of Tantita. We wish to tell the general public that High Chief Tompolo is doing a great job in the Niger Delta through Tantita.

“We hail you Tantita even if we are yet to benefit as a community .

“There are clear indicators that Tompolo has already decentralised the pipeline surveillance contract by creating productive units and outlets at the grassroots level to handle various aspects of Tantita’s operations. With wisdom and competence, the operations of Tantita had long been decentralised in the Niger Delta.

“It is the decentralisation that has taken the job to different communities which have been given operational authority to handle the job. This is clearly a decencentralisation of operation created and domesticated by Tompolo in Tantita. There is no basis for further decentralisation of Tantita beyond the existing decentralised approach to the pipeline surveillance contract execution.

“Rather than blindly and naively throw weights behind the clangourous decentralisation campaign led by some selfish people, we hereby commend High Chief Tompolo for his decentralised approach to the execution of the pipeline surveillance contract.

“Tompolo must not be bothered by these meaningless calls not rooted in the development of the Niger Delta region. Niger Deltans will not be swayed by the meaningless agitation for decentralisation of Tantita.

“Those familiar with the operational structures of Tantita know that its approach is already decentralised. As Niger Deltans, we don’t know any other decentralisation of Tantita than the long existing decentralised operational modalities and frameworks of Tantita created by High Chief Tomopolo.”