Pipeline Vandalism: NNPC should be held responsible – Amosun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state, Southwest, Nigeria has charged the Federal Government on the management of petroleum pipelines across the country.

He attributed the incessant vandalism in various parts of the country to dereliction of duty on the part of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The governor made the call on Wednesday when he visited the scene of vandalised pipeline along Ajura-Iperu-Ogere road in Ikenne local government area of the State.

Amosun disclosed that the issue of vandalism in the country is a reflection of the state of the nation.

He lamented that a similar incident occurred last week at Arepo in Obafemi-Owode local government area of the state, which claimed the life of a pregnant woman.

Amosun however hinted that President Goodluck Jonathan showed concerned and gave him audience in 2012 on how to combat the menace, adding that, nothing has been done till date.

According to him, “vandalism is a daily occurence which shows the way we are as a nation. I still maintain that NNPC is part of the problem, being the agency assigned to ensure that things like this do not happen. This is either dereliction of duty or neglect on the part of the agency of government.

“I don’t know how it would be difficult for us as a nation to prevent the recurrence of this ugly incidence. I mentioned some solutions in 2012 when I visited Arepo and when President Jonathan invited me to his office over this matter but nothing has been done about it till now,” Governor Amosun said.

The state’s helmsman who suggested that governors of various states which the pipeline passes through should be involved in checkmating vandals, alleging complicity of influential people in this vandalism.

Amosun decried how the federal government assigned the pipelines to a group of people to protect. “In this age and time when technology and relevant security agencies are in place, access to the multi-billion naira investments over the years has been nothing to write home about,” he posited.

Amosun also called on the federal government to employ the services of credible stakeholders and security agencies in forestalling the menace.

Speaking with newsmen on the matter, the State Commander of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Akinwande Aboluwoye urged all and sundry to give information to security agents on how to tackle vandalism to bring an end to both its environmental and economic havoc, maintaining that, “those vandals live among us”.

PMNEWS