…pass vote of confidence on Tompolo’s Tantita Security company 

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – YOUTH in oil and gas producing communities under the auspices of Host Communities Producing Oil, Gas and Pipeline Impacted States Youth Council of Nigeria, HOSTCOMYCN, Friday, hailed President Bola Tinubu, Chairman, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo ( a.k.a Tompolo), and the Executive Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Engr Gbenga Komolafe, over their tremendous performance in upscaling oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day as of November 2024.

Speaking during a World Press Conference held in Abuja, the President, OSTCONYCN, Comrade Emmanuel Pathfinder, said it became imperative to establish the Host Communities Producing Oil, Gas and Pipeline Impacted States Youth Council of Nigeria in order to change the narrative in our Host Communities, and also in the oil and gas sector as far as the youths of the Region are concerned and for the nation at large.

According to Pathfinder, the Council is basically out to uphold, preserve, promote and give life to the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, and its membership includes; Ex-Niger Delta Agitators, Environmental Experts and Socio-Economic Advocacy Lawyers, Defenders of Host Communities Rights, Young Intellectuals, Civil Society Organizations and media personnel from the Oil and Gasproducing Communities and pipeline impacted States; Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ondo, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Kogi, Kaduna, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kano, and Nasarawa.

Meanwhile, he said the Council is to engage with necessary authorities on the best way forward for the oil and Gas Producing Communities and advocate for the proper implementation of the 3% Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, as regards to the Host Communities’ Development Trust Fund (HCDTF) for the sake of equal rights, justice, fairness, and Inclusiveness.

And the Council also appreciated President Tinubu for re-awarding the crude oil pipeline surveillance contract to Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited based on its impact made in increasing oil production to 1.8 million barrels per day as at November 2024, which will hit 2 million barrels per day at the end of December 2024.

Therefore, acknowledged and commended the management of the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited including the Executive Vice Chairman, Engr Mathew Tonlagha; Managing Director, High Chief (Engr.) Keston Pondi; General Manager, Operations, Sir Godfrey Tare Pond for their unwavering commitment, dedication, tireless efforts and sacrifices made to deliver this uncommon successes and achievements as oil production output has astronomically increased from 900,000 barrels in the year 2022 to now 1.8 million barrels daily in 2024.

He said: “The leadership of the Host communities producing oil gas and pipeline impacted state youth council of Nigeria thank, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for reawarding the Tantita Security Pipeline Surveillance Contract to secure the nation’s oil and gas assets.

“This has significantly increased the nation’s oil production output rapidly to 1.8 million barrels per day and now nearing 2 million barrels daily by the end of December 2024. 

“This is based on the laudable efforts and tireless sacrifices contributed by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited.

We are very hopeful that by January and February 2025, the output of oil production will increase to over 2.5 million barrels daily for the stability of the economy of the nation.

“It is on this background that we the Hosts Communities Producing Oil, Gas and Pipeline Impacted States Youth Council of Nigeria hereby pass a vote of confidence on Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and the leadership of High Chief (Dr.) Government Ekpemeupolo, also known as TOMPOLO, and the HOSTCON Youth Council hereby throw our full weight in support of the Managing Director, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Engr Keston Pondi and the Management of the company so as to continue the laudable and good work they are doing for the betterment of the oil and producing communities in Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large.

“We also commend the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Engr Gbenga Komolafe, for his laudable transformation policies and reforms used to restructure, reorganize and sanitize the nation’s oil sector, by strategically repositioning the upstream sector, and for working closely with the host communities to ensure they inaugurate the Host Community Development Trust, HCDT, across the oil producing states and communities.

“We also applaud Engr Komolafe for his unwavering commitment and dedication to accountability, transparency and efficient utilization of the natural resources for the cardinal objectives of NUPRC, thereby, ensuring effective productivity and service delivery for the betterment of our nation, and for proper implementation of disbursement of the three per cent as contained in the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, that goes directly to the host communities, and of which he has been able to disburse over N200 billion to the HCDT, for infrastructure and socio-economic development in the host communities. 

“Indeed, it is a laudable achievement and pass mark to the administration of Engr. Gbenga Komolafe of NUPRC.

“Therefore, we urge all stakeholders in the oil and gas communities to always ensure the protection of the oil pipeline and the oil facilities in the region, and to join hands with the NUPRC boss, Engr Komolafe, 

for sustainable development, stability, and the growth of oil production in the economy.”

Meanwhile, according to him, (Pathfinder), some of the achievements of Tantita Security Services Nigeria include; 3,963 incidents captured on IMRA; 971 cases of theft; 1,784 illegal refinery cases; 3,063 illegal refineries destroyed; 58 illegal tapping points discovered in Delta and Bayelsa States; Uncovered underwater illegal crude oil pipelines attached to Trans Forcados Export Trunkline in Delta State; Discovered illegal 4-kilometre pipeline connected from the Trans Escravos line into the sea; Over 5,000 illegal connections discovered on NNPCL pipelines.

Arrested over 8 vessels; 4 Four tugboats; 6 barges; 117 vehicles; 52 tanker trucks; 47 fibre/speed boats; 7 tricycles/motorcycles; 1,743 wooden boats involved in illegal operations.

Created 10, 000 jobs, with a staff strength of 8,957,000 direct workers; 38,221,000 community youths and 21,981,000 intelligence agents.

He also highlighted numerous Corporate Social Responsibility, CRS,  projects the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited had done in various communities in the Niger Delta region including the completion and 

commissioning of the reconstructed 3 Battalion Soldiers’ Transit Accommodation at Effurun Barracks in Delta State, for about 140 soldiers.