𝐴𝑠 "𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑎 𝑉𝑜𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑎 𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠 

As the President of Opyaminama Community in Alakri in RiverState, under OML18, I stand before you to address a matter of urgent concern affecting our people. For over two years, our community has been grappling with severe pollution and an uncontrollable fire that continues to burn relentlessly. These ongoing issues have not only caused widespread devastation to our environment but also severely impacted our livelihoods.

The pollution in our community has destroyed our fishing grounds, a vital source of income and sustenance. Our families are suffering from the health consequences, with many children falling ill due to the environmental degradation. The need for immediate action is clear, and it is time for the federal government to take decisive steps to alleviate the suffering of the host communities, which bear the brunt of this crisis.

We are calling for the decentralization of the pipeline surveillance and wellhead protection contracts, tasks that are currently managed by external entities. As the direct stakeholders in the area, we are best positioned to secure and protect the pipelines and the wellhead that sustain our community. We believe that the responsibility for securing these assets should be entrusted to us—the host community—since we live in constant proximity to them and face the full extent of their impact.

If given the opportunity, we will approach the security of these assets with the utmost diligence and commitment. Our livelihoods are intrinsically linked to the success of this production, and our 3% stake is a reflection of that. We are asking for the federal government to recognize our unique position and empower us to protect what belongs to us. We are not here to create conflict; we are here to advocate for a fair and just system that benefits all.

It is essential for the federal government to understand that this issue extends beyond just the pipelines. The WAREHEADS security contracts, which are part of the larger security framework, must also be considered in this call for decentralization. We are fighting for the rights of our community and seeking the ability to manage our own wealth and resources effectively.

Our message is clear: we are committed to safeguarding our environment, our livelihoods, and our future. It is time for the federal government to listen to the voices of the host communities and give us the power to protect what is rightfully ours.