ASABA/Nigeria: The Senior Policy Adviser to the Delta State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Funkekeme Solomon, has credited the engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited in the protection of Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure with significantly boosting the nation’s economy, curbing crude oil theft and restoring lasting peace across the Niger Delta.
Speaking during an interview on TVC’s Beyond The Headlines programme, Solomon said the decision by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to entrust the surveillance of the country’s oil facilities to the indigenous security firm has yielded remarkable economic and security dividends.
He commended the President for what he described as a bold and strategic intervention, noting that the initiative has strengthened the fight against oil theft, increased crude oil production and substantially improved revenue accruing to the Federal Government, states and local government councils.
According to him, the operations of Tantita, under the leadership of Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, have transformed the security landscape of the oil-producing region while creating opportunities for thousands of unemployed youths.
“Tantita has changed the narrative in the Niger Delta. There is peace in the region, oil is flowing without disruption, and thousands of young people have been meaningfully engaged. The President’s confidence in Tompolo is also a demonstration of trust in the capacity of the people of the Niger Delta,” Solomon said.
The former Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly described Tompolo as a patriotic son of the Niger Delta whose commitment to protecting national assets has translated into measurable economic gains for the country.
He maintained that the drastic reduction in pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft has enabled Nigeria to improve oil production, strengthen government finances and reinforce investor confidence in the petroleum sector.
Solomon also lauded the Tinubu administration for implementing policies he said have advanced the interests of the Niger Delta and the Ijaw nation, citing the legal backing granted to the Nigerian Maritime University and the establishment of an oil and gas medical facility in Benikrukru as landmark interventions.
He further defended the Federal Government’s economic reforms, arguing that they have expanded fiscal resources available to the three tiers of government while laying a sustainable foundation for long-term national growth.
According to him, although some of the reforms require patience and sacrifice, they are designed to address longstanding structural challenges and place the Nigerian economy on a more stable footing.
“Nigeria is too important for policy inconsistency or trial and error. These reforms are focused on securing long-term economic stability rather than short-term popularity. Nigerians will ultimately reap the benefits if the policies are sustained,” he said.
The governor’s adviser cautioned against calls to reverse key economic measures, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, warning that such a move could erode the gains already recorded in public finance and economic management.
He stressed that policy continuity remains critical to consolidating ongoing reforms, sustaining increased government revenues and driving inclusive national development.
