May 10, (THEWILL) – A Niger Delta group, the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), at the weekend commended Dr Akpos Mezeh, the Consultant on Community Relations to Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), for his outstanding commitment to stakeholders engagement and peacebuilding in oil-producing communities.
In a statement released in Yenagoa, MOSIEND praised Dr Mezeh’s strategic leadership and inclusive approach, which have significantly enhanced the relationship between PINL and host communities, while also contributing to a marked reduction in pipeline vandalism across the Trans-Niger Pipeline corridor.
MOSIEND National President, Kennedy Tonjo West, described Mezeh as “a worthy son of the Niger Delta, whose work has restored confidence in community-based pipeline surveillance and stakeholder participation in the oil and gas sector.”
He said, “Dr Akpos Mezeh has shown uncommon insight into the issues affecting our people and has transformed that understanding into measurable impact. His collaborative style has fostered renewed trust, reduced tensions, and promoted peace in areas that were once hotbeds of pipeline sabotage”
MOSIEND hailed PINL’s operational model under Dr Mezeh’s guidance, emphasising the importance of prompt community engagement, the empowerment of local surveillance/security personnel, and impactful development initiatives.
According to MOSIEND, “This is the standard all corporate actors in the region should aspire to be identified by.
“The Niger Delta needs partners who don’t just extract resources, but also invest in human capital, peacebuilding, and environmental sustainability. Dr Mezeh and the PINL team are setting the pace. We urge other oil companies to learn from this approach and place community interests at the heart of their operations”, West added.
MOSIEND also applauded the leadership of Rear Admiral Akinjide Akinrinade (rtd), the Managing Director of PINL, for fostering a security framework rooted in community ownership and for aligning the company’s objectives with broader national development goals.
The commendation follows a recent stakeholders’ forum in Yenagoa, where Dr Mezeh was honoured by the Association of Rural Chiefs for Peace and Development. At the event, representatives of the National Security Adviser revealed the successful prosecution of over 100 oil theft suspects—an outcome credited to the growing synergy between government agencies and responsible private sector players like PINL.
MOSIEND reaffirmed its commitment to supporting any initiative that advances peace, security, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta and called on the federal government to create more platforms for meaningful indigenous participation in oil sector governance.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
