A
Niger Delta-based peace advocacy group known as the Niger Delta
Indigenous Movement For Radical Change (NDIMRC) has described as a
"blackmail and pettiness," the alleged attacks by some politicians
against the minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu
over pipeline surveillance contract.
An online news
medium had claimed that Kachikwu allegedly awarded oil pipeline
surveillance contracts to his friends and cronies without due
consideration to competence and expertise.
NDIMRC, in a
statement issued in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital and signed by its
president, Nelly Emma, secretary, John Sailor and public relations
officer (PRO), Stanley Mukoro, respectively said the claim is a clear
case of blackmail and pettiness.
According to the
group, the minister is working with relevant stakeholders in the Niger
Delta region to end vandalisation of oil pipeline, adding that he would
soon deploy modern technology to bury pipelines out of the reach of
vandals.
The group said, "We
are surprised that some stakeholders in the oil and gas industry are at
it again, they have refused to see anything good in the Petroleum
Resources Minister.
"We should allow
the minister to remain focused on his national assignment. These
unnecessary distractions from some disgruntled stakeholders in the oil
and gas industry are not healthy in our present situation in the
country.
"It is not true
that the minister awarded pipeline security contract to incompetent
friends and family members. The minister has been very transparent in
all his dealings in the industry since he was appointed.
"The minister for
Petroleum Resources that we know never awarded pipeline security contact
to incompetent friends and family members. The records are there for
everybody to see. The blackmailers are at work again because they are
not happy that the minister has brought stability to the oil and gas
sector.
"All allegations
against the minister in the online report are cheap lies against the
God-fearing minister who wants the best for the oil and gas industry. We
are amazed that the minister is being accused of squandering state
funds amounting to millions of dollars on pipeline security."
The statement
further said, "It is very laughable for these well known blackmailers to
say that members of the Niger Delta Avengers destroyed pipelines few
weeks after the minister awarded security contract to incompetent
friends and family members. The demands of the Niger Delta Avengers are
in the public domain. People should stop painting the minister in bad
light; he should be encouraged.
"We are imploring
Nigerians to ignore these baseless accusations against the minister. We
know where they are coming from and we know their selfish reasons too.
The blackmailers have vested interests in the oil and gas industry and
ready to do everything and anything to frustrate the dynamic minister.
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