Delta Community Backs Tantita, Urges President Tinubu To Ignore Decentralisation Call

By Monday Peters, Abuja

The Ancient Oyangbene Autonomous Community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State has thrown its weight behind Tantita Security Services Limited, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore calls for the decentralisation of the company’s pipeline surveillance contract.

In a press release, stakeholders of the community, Dr. Enewaridideke Ekanpou, Mr. Collector Ekanpou, and Mr. Thompson Maika, described the call for decentralisation as “illogical” and driven by “envy and selfishness”. They praised Tantita’s performance, citing its engagement of different communities in the Niger Delta, including Akparemogbene and Ekameta, which have benefited from the company’s strategic engagement.

The community acknowledged that while they are yet to benefit directly from Tantita’s efforts, they are happy to see neighbouring communities being meaningfully engaged and empowered. They totally faulted any call for decentralisation, stating that High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo is doing a great job through Tantita.

The statement also clarified that Tantita’s operations are already decentralised, with productive units and outlets at the grassroots level handling various aspects of the company’s operations. The community commended Tompolo for his approach, stating that it is “clearly a decentralisation of operation created and domesticated by Tompolo in Tantita”.

The community urged President Tinubu to ignore the calls for decentralisation, stating that it is not rooted in the development of the Niger Delta region. They expressed confidence that Niger Deltans will not be swayed by the agitation, and that those familiar with Tantita’s operational structures know that its approach is already decentralised.

The press release concluded by commending High Chief Tompolo for his efforts in the Niger Delta, and urging him to ignore the “meaningless calls” for decentralisation.

The community noted, “The call for decentralisation of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited is an illogical move not tied to any good reason other than envy and selfishness. The performance of Tantita over the years is commendable and since the call for decentralisation is not dictated by issues of non-performance, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu must not be swayed by this selfish move. Only core enemies of Niger Delta agitate illogically for decentralisation of Tantita when issues of incompetence and non-performance are not involved. In strong terms we hereby condemn this baseless, puerile and envy-loaded campaign of calumny against Tantita Security Services Limited disguised as a patriotic call for contract-decentralisstion.

“Tantita is doing wonderfully in performance in the Niger Delta through the engagement of different communities placed on monthly salaries. Neighbouring communities like Akparemogbene and Ekameta have been meaningfully engaged by Tantita. Though Oyangbene Autonomous Community is yet to benefit from Tantita’s strategic engagement magnanimity targeted to end crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, we are happy to see how our neighbouring communities have been touched developmentally, engaged and empowered by Tantita. As long as our neighbouring communities like Akparemogbene and Ekameta are beneficiaries, we are opposed to any call for decentralisation of Tantita. We wish to tell the general public that High Chief Tompolo is doing a great job in the Niger Delta through Tantita. We hail you Tantita even if we are yet to benefit as a community .

“There are clear indicators that Tompolo has already decentralised the pipeline surveillance contract by creating productive units and outlets at the grass roots level to handle various aspects of Tantita’s operations. With wisdom and competence, the operations of Tantita had long been decentralised in the Niger Delta. It is the decentralisation that has taken the job to different communities which have been given operational authority to handle the job.

“This is clearly a decencentralisation of the operation created and domesticated by Tompolo in Tantita. There is no basis for further decentralisation of Tantita beyond the existing decentralised approach to the pipeline surveillance contract execution.

“Rather than blindly and naively throw weights behind the clangourous decentralisation campaign led by some selfish people, we hereby commend High Chief Tompolo for his decentralised approach to the execution of the pipeline surveillance contract.

“Tompolo must not be bothered by these meaningless calls not rooted in the development of the Niger Delta region. Niger Deltans will not be swayed by the meaningless agitation for decentralisation of Tantita. Those familiar with the operational structures of Tantita know that its approach is already decentralised. As Niger Deltans, we don’t know any other decentralisation of Tantita than the long existing decentralised operational modalities and frameworks of Tantita created by High Chief Tompolo”, the community emphasised.