Edwin Clark asks Federal Govt to revoke Tompolo and Dokubo’s outrageous contracts

A prominent Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to revoke the multi-billion naira pipeline and maritime protection contracts awarded to two former leaders of the Niger Delta militants, Government Ekpemukpolo (Tompolo) and Asari Dokubo.

The Ijaw leader, who said this while contributing to a debate on the report of the National Conference Committee on Public Finance and Revenue, said government should revoke the contracts because it has not contributed to reducing oil theft as desired by government.

“I want to advise the government to withdraw the contracts awarded to Tomplolo and Asari Dokubo because they have failed to stop oil thefts in the country. Instead, youths from areas where oil facilities are located should be given the job,” said Clark.

The Octogenarian said the militants were sabotaging the efforts of government to stop oil theft because they want to retain their pipeline contracts.

While noting that oil theft has increased since the pipeline protection and maritime contracts were awarded to the two former Niger Delta warlords, Clark noted that youths of the community where there are oil assets will do better job of protecting them.

“If we allow youths from host communities to protect oil installations, it will be difficult for anybody to break the pipeline and steal our oil,” Clark added.

Other delegates who contributed to the report condemned the lack of transparency in the management of Nigeria’s oil revenue by the Federal Government and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.