From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
As part of their efforts in fulfilling their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to there host communities, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has awarded scholarships to 600 students in Bayelsa State.
PINL also fulfilled their promises to the women by releasing their empowerment funds to boost their businesses, outside other empowerment programmes lined up for their Host communities. As the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) called for deepened collaboration between communities and the surveillance firm to sustain the security of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP).
Both announcements were made at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by PINL for host communities in Bayelsa, amid ongoing calls by some stakeholders for the decentralisation of pipeline surveillance contracts — a position NNPCL’s presence at the meeting appeared to counter.
PINL is the private security firm responsible for the Eastern Corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and the Eastern Gas Network (EGN).
Speaking at the meeting, Engr. Akponime Omojevwe, Head of Field Operations, Eastern Corridor, Project Monitoring Office, NNPCL, said the corporation is pleased with the relationship that has developed between PINL and Bayelsa communities, and urged all parties to consolidate on the progress made.
“I’m usually delighted because the bond in Bayelsa between the communities and PINL is a very strong one. The collaboration is a hundred percent and we don’t want that rating to drop because they have tried so much,” he said.
“Anytime I come here, I’m always happy because I see the collaboration, I see the unity. You can imagine the words of the royal fathers just now — that they are in support of PINL,” Omojevwe added.
He commended stakeholders for their commitment to securing the TNP and called for a complete end to pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering activities.
At the same event, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, General Manager, Community and Stakeholder Relations at PINL, presented scholarships to 600 host community students — covering both undergraduate and postgraduate beneficiaries — and announced the commencement of disbursement for women empowerment and youth skill acquisition programmes.
Mezeh said the gesture reflects the value the company places on education and human capital development within its host communities.”In Bayelsa, we have granted scholarships to 600 students of higher institutions in our host communities, giving them between N500,000 and N1,000,000 each to aid their studies,” he said.
“The granting of scholarships to students of our host communities is a sign that we are committed to their education and human capital development,” he added.
Beneficiaries welcomed the grants, saying the support would ease the financial burden of their studies and sharpen their focus.
Canus Samuel, a civil engineering student at Niger Delta University (NDU), said: “I can now concentrate well on my studies and make the company and my community proud. I will do my very best to come out with a good CGPA and become a good engineer.”
Mr. Albert, also a postgraduate student at NDU, struck a note that captured the broader spirit of the occasion. “I’m so happy for this privilege because it will enhance our performance in school — most of us don’t have better sources of raising funds. It is a real leverage for us,” he said, before adding: “We are making a commitment to continue to protect our pipeline so that there will be no vandalism and their operations will go smoothly.”
