The Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council of Bayelsa State, Chief Timpa Tiwei Orunmighe, has described transportation network as one of the major challenges facing the area.

Chief Orunmighe who disclosed this in his office when a delegation of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) officials paid him a courtesy visit recently at Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, said that the council had entered into agreement with EPNAL the producers of fiber speed boats with a view to alleviating the transportation difficulties in the area.

The chairman, while commending Agip as the best oil company that has shown concern to the plight of the rural dwellers in the host communities in the area, solicited for the company’s support and partnership in the provision of adequate water transportation system and training of youths in skills acquisition, noting that the council was currently training some youths on pipeline welding and other skills in preparation for the Brass LNG.

He urged NAOC to improve in their MoU agreements by migrating from the usual building of schools and hospitals to sustainable projects that would touch the lives of the community directly. “Identify what they want and give it to them,” he added.

Chief Orunmighe called for a synergy between NAOC, federal, state and local governments to fight the menace of illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalisation, saying that the LGA earlier sponsored the military to dismantle illegal bunkering locations in the area, adding that the council intended to do a documentary on the act.

Earlier, the NAOC Public Relations, Communication and Government Liaison Manager, Prince Nwachukwu Obi, lauded the chairman for his tough fight against illegal bunkering and vandalisation, describing the act as inimical to the environment, lives and economic standard of the people in the affected area.

He assured that NAOC would continue to live up to its social, corporate responsibility to the host communities in the area.