Nigerians have been called upon to be wary of saboteurs working tirelessly to ruin the nation’s economy. This call was made by Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo and Chairman, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) when he received the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Meritorious Award at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Chief Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo said that the country needs all the much needed support to paralyze the activities of greedy persons who are hell bent on sabotaging the nation’s oil and gas. Chief Ekpemupolo disclosed that he is not having a Nigerian Passport, a good example of a modest Nigerian, he added, “I don’t have any other place, except Nigeria. Nigeria is the only country I have, so we must all join hands to protect and move Nigeria forward.
“Our economy is in dire need of survival, so we cannot fold our hands and allow some people to sabotage the nation’s economy because of greed.”
Presenting the award, Dr Chris Isiguzo, National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) said that the award was in recognition of Chief Ekpemupolo’s (Tompolo’s) outstanding contributions to the security of oil and gas infrastructure by curtailing oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.
Chief Isiguzo said that the NUJ arrived at conferring the Meritorious Award on Tompolo at the last NUJ National Conference in Abuja after a meticulous deliberation on his activities and successes in tackling economic sabotage head-on.
He said that Tompolo has set the pace for securing Nigeria from the throes of economic insecurity in the Niger Delta region, he called on the media, other security operatives and agencies, as well as other Nigerians, to rally round him.
Accordng to Dr. Isiguzo, “somebody had risen to the occasion and gathered an array of young men who have taken it upon themselves to help this country continue to survive as a peaceful nation, united and continuing to fend for its people.
“And that is the man who has, to a very large extent, substantially helped us address the issue of crude oil theft.
“That is one thing that has occupied our national life over time. But through his commitment, dedication, and diligence, Nigeria, as a country, had, to a very large extent, reduce the activities of men of the underworld who have consistently engaged in pilfering, taking our common patrimony for their own gains.
“NUJ, having assessed the activities of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), we decided that we must accord the necessary recognition to the man who carries the flag, who birthed this organisation, who has exceptionally distinguished himself, and who has been celebrated by Nigerians across all walks of life.
“NUJ is an institution that is distinguished; when we look at the different realms of governance, we have the First Estate of the Realm, the Second Estate of the Realm, and the Third Estate of the Realm, all talking about the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary.
“But there is a realm that Nigerians now look up to, the fourth Estate is the Media and if this realm collapses, Nigeria will collapse. This realm, the Media is the oxygen of democratic governance; it is the reason Nigeria is still operating and why we are enjoying peace and harmony.
“Therefore, this important realm has come to Oporoza Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State to honour a distinguished son of the Niger Delta, a general in his own right who has distinguished himself and ensures and maintains an appreciable level of internal security.
“We have come to confer on him the Internal Security Meritorious Award of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
“In the course of the national conference, only one award had been approved, and it is being conferred on Dr. Government Ekpemupolo.”
He enjoined journalists to keep contributing their quota by sharing intelligence with security agencies and operatives in order to engender tranquilly, peace, harmony, and progress in the country.
By Okiemute Okpomor-Independent
