Host communities along the Eastern Gas Pipeline Network have issued a two-week ultimatum to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to settle three months of outstanding surveillance payments and ensure their inclusion in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.
Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the Paramount Ruler of Elele Alimini, His Royal Majesty Peter Wagbara, who read the press statement on behalf of the communities, said they had continued to support pipeline surveillance despite the outstanding payments.
They expressed concern over the prolonged delay in payments to surveillance contractors, guards and eligible community stakeholders, warning that the situation was creating frustration and uncertainty among residents.
Cross section of paramount rulers at the briefing
The communities acknowledged PINL’s contributions to pipeline security and community engagement but said the continued non-payment had become difficult to understand, given their commitment to protecting critical gas infrastructure.
“Our communities have embraced this responsibility in good faith. Surveillance guards and community stakeholders have continued to support the protection of the Eastern Gas Pipeline Network,” the statement said.
The stakeholders noted that the outstanding payments were not merely financial transactions but obligations that sustained the surveillance arrangement and the livelihoods of those involved.
They called on PINL and its client, NNPCL, to reconcile and settle all verified outstanding payments covering the past three months, restore regular payments and establish a sustainable mechanism for preventing future disputes.
Paramount ruler of Rundele community, HRH, Damian Ejiohuo
Beyond the payment arrears, the communities also expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as their exclusion from scholarship opportunities, youth and women empowerment initiatives, and other development programmes reportedly available to communities under PINL’s host-community engagement framework.
They insisted that their demand was for fairness and equal access to development opportunities, rather than preferential treatment.
“We firmly believe that communities supporting the security of national assets deserve fair consideration in programmes designed to improve education, develop skills, empower women and young people, and promote sustainable livelihoods,” the statement added.
Other traditional rulers at the event commended PINL for its corporate social responsibility initiatives in host communities but urged the relevant agencies to use the two-week grace period to address the communities’ demands.
The communities further urged both companies to establish a transparent framework for integrating them into relevant CSR initiatives and engage recognised traditional rulers and community leaders on the outstanding issues.
They gave the companies two weeks from the date of the statement to demonstrate concrete progress towards settling the arrears, restoring regular payments and addressing their concerns about access to community development programmes.
Reaffirming their commitment to peaceful engagement, the stakeholders said the statement was not intended to undermine the operations of PINL or NNPCL or discourage investment in the region.
“Our message is simple: honour the outstanding obligations, restore regular payments, and give Eastern Gas Pipeline host communities fair access to relevant community development programmes,” the statement said.
They urged the management of both organisations to treat the ultimatum seriously, warning that the patience of the host communities should not be mistaken for an absence of legitimate concerns.
