10 October 2013, Abuja – The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Wednesday said incessant vandalism of its network of petroleum pipelines across the country was costing it several billions of naira that if channelled otherwise, would have impacted positively on the national economy.
The corporation in a statement announcing its successful repair of the vandalised sections of the Benin-Warri and Kaduna-Jos pipelines said the menace of pipeline vandalism was taking an increasing toll on its revenue.
It also stated in the statement that was signed by its acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Tumini Green, that it had already resumed pumping of petroleum products through the same repaired pipelines.
While calling for concerted efforts in the fight against petroleum assets vandalism, the NNPC had two weeks ago told members of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), which came on an oversight visit to it that about 1,876 pipeline breaks had already been recorded by it within the 2013 half year.
The corporation, however, condemned the persistent attack on the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) pipelines, stressing that: “As soon as we got wind of attacks on our Benin-Warri pipelines and Kaduna-Jos pipelines, we mobilised to the areas affected and as we speak the lines have been repaired and we have resumed pumping of petroleum products through those pipelines.”
She further said: “Unfortunately, these vandals attacked our personnel who were on hand to effect repairs on the vandalised pipelines,” adding, “Even though two lives were lost in the Kaduna-Jos incident, no life was lost in the Benin-Warri incident. The two injured persons are responding to treatment.”
Green called on state governments, local governments, community leaders, all relevant stakeholders and the public to collaborate with the corporation to protect PPMC pipelines and other infrastructure, adding that this would result to increased revenue generation from petroleum products for use by the government in providing infrastructural facilities as well as curtailing environmental degradation.
Meanwhile, NNPC had in a detailed presentation on its operational losses for 2012 and 2013 half year to the committee members led by its chairman, Hon. Muraina Ajibola, stated that pipeline products loss for 2013 half year was 216 million litres, crude oil loss for the period was 1.67 million barrels and number of pipeline breaks was 1,876.
This was in comparison to its 2012 half year records of 148 million litres, 1.83 million barrels and 1,098 breaks respectively.
– Chineme Okafor, This Day