Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, on Thursday protested against oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering activities in the Niger Delta.
The oil workers in ther numbers who marched from Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt to the Rivers State Police Command and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, singing solidarity songs, lamented that Nigeria has been unable to meet OPEC quota due to oil theft.
Addressing the Police Commissioner in Rivers State, the Chairman of PENGASSAN, Port Harcourt Zone, Mr. Peter Onita, lamented that oil operators were producing large quantity of crude, but only very little quantity was received at the export terminal due to oil theft.
Onita particularly mentioned that Agip was producing about 60,000 barrels per day, but only about 5,000 barrels was received at Brass Export Terminal due to vandalism, oil theft and illegal oil bunkering activities
He said apart from economic sabotage, oil theft was also destroying the Niger Delta environment, adding that the protest was being carried out by the Association, nationwide.
“IOCs are producing large quantity of crude but when they put in the pipeline only little quantity is received at the export terminal. As we speak, Nigerians are grumbling because of the security situation of this country.
“At PENGASSAN, we have been engaging the government and stakeholders all to make sure that oil theft and vandalization of oil facilities should stop.
“Today, Opec production quota for Nigeria is 1.8millionbpd we have the capacity to even produce 2 million but because of oil theft and vandalization, we are struggling to meet up our quota.
“Because of oil theft, most IOCs are leaving Nigeria. Our companies are no longer paying salaries because of oil theft.
“We can no longer fold our hands that is why we are carrying out this protest nationwide against oil theft, so that Nigerians will know what is happening to Nigeria.
“We all know that most of the nations revenue come from oil and gas industry. As stakeholders we can no longer fold our hands that is why we are protesting today to add our voice to vandalism and oil theft and to add that relevant govenrment agencies at both national , state and local government as a matter of neccesity should rise to the challenge of oil theft.
“Oil theft and vandalism is destroying our environment in the Niger Delta. The environment is no longer safe and we cannot pretend not to know the impact of this menace on all of us.”
Responding, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Eboka Friday, commended PENGASSAN for embarking on a solidarity march against oil theft.
“I am glad that we are on the same page. We have charged 22 persons to court in the last one month and we expect that oil production will increase.
“Of course if the government doesn’t get the needed revenue from oil, it will affec everybody. Even us the Police will be affected as the government will not be able to pay salaries or buy patrol vehicles for us.
“Oil is our blood and we must continue to ensure that it flows. I want assure you that whoever is prosecuted as long as this oil theft is involved must be prosecuted.”
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