A group, Eastern Youths Coalition for Equity, has expressed concern over the pipeline surveillance contract awarded by the Federal Government to companies and blocs across southern and eastern states.

The group, at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, stated that the situation had generated much controversy in the eastern states and led to agitation from various groups.

The convener of the conference, Mr Edwin Nkwede, decried the awards which he said spanned the eastern region but were awarded to non-indigenous companies.

He said that the group’s protest was germane, especially now that the contract was about to be renewed by the Federal Government.

The coalition is a group of interested pressure groups from oil producing states in the eastern parts of Nigeria, namely Abia, Anambra and Imo states.

“To put into proper perspective, the Eastern Youths Coalition for Equity is an offshoot of a stakeholders meeting by selected youth leaders from the eastern region of Nigeria which was held in Umuahia, Abia State. At the meeting, issues pertaining to the welfare of the Igbo region were enumerated and discussed.

“On the front burner of our grief as a coalition is the manner in which the pipeline surveillance contracts awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to several companies, were handled.

“As a group, we have gathered from available records that the pipeline surveillance contract was split into the eastern corridor, central corridor and western corridor. While pipeline infrastructure limited, owned and managed by the Olu of Warri and family, secured the contract for the eastern corridor, Tantita Security Services Limited owned and managed by the ex-agitator of Ijaw, Chief Ekpemupolo Government alias Tompolo, got the central and western corridors,’’ he said.

Mr Nkwede said that it was understood that the eastern corridor covered the oil producing states of eastern Nigeria which are Abia, Imo and Anambra states.

 According to him, it is no longer news that Ndi-Igbo are pained that the eastern region is being relegated in the scheme of things.

He said that security reports from the eastern states were far from palatable, adding that it was a fact which every Nigerian knew.

Mr Nkwede said rather than joining the bandwagon of restive agitations, the eastern youth’s coalition for equity had resorted to employing every necessary legal channel to drive home the grouse of the generality of youths in the East.

He called on the Federal Government to prevail on the contractors to accommodate youths of the coalition, to form the mandate of the youth of the region.

The convener also called on FG to prevail on the requisite offices and stakeholders responsible for awarding the subcontract from the existing ones which would soon be re-awarded, to award it to a company chosen by the coalition.

According to him, in the event that the youth groups are considered, it shall be a mandate to ensure proper community liaison for effective monitoring of crude oil facilities in the region.

He said that the Igboland was important to be considered in the scheme of things, while hoping for a good response from the Federal Government.

(NAN)