06 April 2012, Sweetcrude, YENAGOA – Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has urged the co-operation of stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector to curb the triple problem of oil theft, pipeline vandalism and rising incidence of illegal refineries.
The governor, who spoke at a meeting in Government House, Yenagoa with officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), Chevron Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Agip, Conoil and top security operatives.
According to him, this has become necessary in view of the level of destruction of the environment by the problems, which he said, needed to be urgently addressed.
Dickson said stamping out the illegal bunkering syndicate in the Delta would be of mutual benefit to both government and the oil companies.
He stated that while this would create a safe and secure environment for the oil companies to opearte, the revenue accruing to government would rise.
He commended the Joint Task Force (JTF) and other security outfits in the state for their efforts at protecting lives and property.
Dickson also announced that his government was packaging a policy that will co-ordinate the development efforts of donor agencies and multi-national oil companies in order to check project duplication and
maximising resource utilisation.
Responding on behalf of the stakeholders present at the meeting, the General Manager in charge of Group Security Department of the NNPC, Mr. Fred Owotorufa said the pipeline vandalism, oil theft and illegal refineries were of grave concern to the oil industry operators.
He said the oil and gas industry looks forward to a partnership that would have the problems resolved.
