Global West Workers Seeks Inclusion in Tompolo’s N4billion Pipeline Contract

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Staff of Global West Vessel Specialist Limited have congratulated Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo over the N4billion monthly petroleum pipeline security contract recently awarded to him by the federal government.

The staff have equally appealed to the former Niger Delta militant to include them in executing his new contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which is basically to secure oil pipelines, end illegal bunkering, illegal refining and oil theft in Niger-Delta communities.

Recall that Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, a company reportedly owned by Tompolo
had signed a 10-year maritime security contract with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in 2011.

The contract was for Global West to provide platforms to be used for patrolling the nation’s waterways by the Nigerian Navy and other security operatives.

However, the company now have about 400 unpaid workers for the past seven years, 10 of them reportedly died recently, while many are currently homeless.

In an exclusive chat with DAILY TREND, a representative of the Global West staff, Mr Rowland Omobude congratulated Tompolo for landing the N4billion monthly contract, even as he urged him to carry the workers along.

According to him, the workers equally have what it takes, in terms of training, to be able to feature in this new contract.

“We the Global Westest Staff congratulate him (Tompolo) for the new contract he won and appeal for him to remember us
We are praying we benefits from it and we hope to be a partaker of it” Omobude stated

Workers of Global West since the demise of it’s former Managing Director, Captain Romeo Itima had complained of neglect and non payments of wages.

It would be recalled that sometimes in July, 2015, the Federal Ministry of Transport directed NIMASA to discontinue payment to GWVSNL. The freezing of the company’s accounts in various banks is said to be the reasons for the discontinuation of payment by the agency.

However in year 2020, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos dismissed the entire 40 counts bordering on alleged N34billion fraud filed by the federal government against Global West.