Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), the private security company responsible for protecting the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and Eastern Gas Network (EGN), has empowered 3,000 women across Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo and Abia states with business support funds ranging from N250,000 to N1 million.
The beneficiaries were selected from 216 host communities within the company’s operational areas in the Niger Delta as part of PINL’s women empowerment programme aimed at supporting small businesses, improving household income and strengthening community development.
The cheques were presented during the company’s monthly stakeholders’ engagement meeting held in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, PINL General Manager for Community and Stakeholders Relations, Dr. Akpos Mezeh, said the initiative was part of the company’s broader commitment to communities hosting critical oil and gas infrastructure.
According to him, the company decided to invest directly in women because of the important role they play in family welfare, local businesses and peacebuilding within communities.
Mezeh said the empowerment programme was also a way of appreciating the cooperation the company has continued to receive from residents in the fight against pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.
“Today is yet another day for us to reward our communities. They have supported us unreservedly in the fight against pipeline vandalism and it’s clear that we are succeeding in that direction,” he said.
“So today’s exercise was another way of saying thank you to the communities.”
He called on youths across the host communities to avoid pipeline vandalism, illegal bunkering and other criminal activities capable of affecting oil production and development within the region.
According to him, communities that remain peaceful and cooperative will continue to benefit from the company’s intervention programmes and economic support initiatives.
“So I want to use this opportunity to urge our community youths to continue to support us in the fight against pipeline vandalism,” Mezeh added.
“They should shun any kind of vices and ensure that the communities are peaceful, ensure that production continues to increase for the benefit of the country and the communities.”
The PINL official also disclosed that the company recorded zero infractions on both the TNP and EGN pipelines within its operational areas during the outgoing month, describing the development as a major achievement in the ongoing battle against pipeline vandalism.
“We are having zero infraction on the pipeline in our area of operation. There will be no incident and that shows that we are winning the fight against pipeline vandalism,” he said.
“We want to attribute this success to the communities who have been cooperating with us.”
Mezeh further explained that PINL had introduced a monitoring framework to track the progress of beneficiaries and ensure that the funds are properly invested into productive ventures capable of improving livelihoods.
Stakeholders at the meeting commended the company for sustaining its empowerment programmes despite economic challenges facing businesses across the country.
The King of Emohua Kingdom in Rivers State, HRM Eze Seargent Awuse, praised the company for combining infrastructure protection with community development.
He noted that PINL had recently rolled out scholarships and youth empowerment programmes before launching the latest women-focused initiative.
“Last sitting you rolled out scholarships for our youths and today you have rolled out women empowerment,” the monarch said.
“We owe you thanks also for securing the infrastructure feeding this nation. Your company has in a very significant way made it possible for more oil to flow with less vandalisation.”
Speaking on behalf of the women beneficiaries, the Ada Ekpeye-Logbo, Dr. Patricia Ogbonnaya, thanked the company for responding to requests from women in the host communities to be included in empowerment programmes.
“PINL has made us benefit from the oil on our land,” she said.
“We thank you for this empowerment and I want to put it on record and to the Federal Government that PINL is doing more than their assignment.”
Ogbonnaya also said the company’s operations were beginning to positively affect the local environment, noting that some species of fish previously affected by pollution had started returning to rivers within the area.
Some beneficiaries, including Mrs Mercy Edward from Rumuekpe community in Emohua and Mrs Rose Michael from Eneka community in Obio/Akpor, assured stakeholders that the funds would be used to expand their businesses and support their families.
