A Federal High Court in Abuja has on Thursday 15th December 2022, ordered that the Incorporated Trustees of the One Love Foundation, be provided with the precise details of the #4.5 billion naira Pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Mr. Government Ekemupolo.
The Case filed as SUIT No: FHC /ABJ/ CS/ 1723/2022 is in Sequel to a failed response of the letter previously written by the applicant: One Love Foundation, addressing the Federal government through the Federal Minister of petroleum resources and Attorney general of the Federation, with a request under the freedom of information acts to provide them with the exact details of entire contractual terms and documents entered into with Mr Government Tompolo on the recent #4.5 billion naira contract awarded.
The letter requested a document including: The Letter of contract, awarded to Mr. Government Ekemupolo, His certificate of incorporation of this contract, His 3 years current tax clearance certificate submitted as a guideline for the award of this contract, His dpr permit/license, where applicable, His vat certificate, His pencom certificate and current ITF registration certificate submitted as a guideline for the award of this contract, His local content registration(nogic jqs or ncec) and other relevant documents.
From the on set, The human rights activist has been fighting for oil producing communities in Edo state, to be recognized and carried along as beneficiaries of the contract. At the awarding of the Contract, he Commended the effort of the Federal Government in curbing the Crude oil theft,and also reached out to Mr. Tompolo, requesting for equal mobilization of the Niger Delta states. Asking that each State should respectively be carried along.
However, Edo People have been left behind in the process.
Meanwhile a recent report on Arise Tv, had an activist disclosing that Most of the oil producing communities and States have been settled, likewise those threatening to stir up conflicts in the Niger Delta, if they were excluded from the deal.
He further claimed that the APC Gubernatorial aspirant of Delta State, after obtaining a slot for the Urhobo people under his company name, also Usurped the Slot given to the Isoko people.
In an interview, with Dr. Patrick who is the President of One Love Foundation , He viewed the Contract as a welfare system, and a poverty alleviation scheme, which will eradicate unemployment amongst youths in the Niger Delta, with particular reference to Edo youths, as he expressed their readiness in making sure that the pipelines running through Edo State as well as the Niger Delta region, is fully secured.
He also remarked that Edo people are not violent people, instead they are very educated , smart and courageous people who chose to do things peacefully. He reiterated that Nobody has the monopoly of violence and as such , The Edo people should be answered in the absence of violent threats, Stressing that the issue can still be resolved without violence.
Lastly, I want to appreciate the effort of Barrister Samuel Ihensenkhien jnr for his hard work on this case over the time.