Pipeline vandalism disrupts development agenda for Niger Delta – VP

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday described the damaging of pipelines and oil installations in the Niger Delta as destruction of facilities meant to help the people of the region.

Osinbajo said this when he received a delegation of Urhobo leaders, led by Chief Tuesday Onoge at the Presidential Villa.

The vice president lamented that “so much damage is being done, governments will come and go, but these damages will ultimately destroy people’s livelihoods, aspirations and future”.

Osinbajo said: “Nobody else anywhere in the world will destroy the facilities meant to help them, there is no benefit whatsoever from the destruction.”

He maintained that the Buhari administration would continue its outreach to leaders and groups in the Niger Delta in seeking for peaceful solution to the crisis in the region.

Osinbajo, however, called for understanding, especially on the part of the leaders of the region, stressing that “destruction and damage do not lead to anything good”.

He also commented on the opened channels of communication and negotiation with the Niger Delta leaders and representatives.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has shown exemplary leadership and is someone that can be trusted once he gives his word.

He said: “He (Buhari) is quiet, but fiercely determined, once he makes up his mind and gives his word.”

He also encouraged Niger Delta people to work with the President.

Osinbajo commended the delegation from the Urhobo Leaders of Thought, including the All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 elections, Olorogun Ortega Emerhor.

He also commended the leadership and understanding of the Urhobo Leaders of Thought.

Earlier, Onoge had lamented that if the money sent to the Niger Delta in the last 16 years was

judiciously spent, the people of the region would have benefitted, and asked “what happened to the monies?”.

The leader of the delegation, who pledged support to the Federal Government, criticised the vandalism of oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta and offered to assist in furthering peace in the region.

He said that the group supported the anti-corruption efforts of the Buhari administration.

In a related development, the vice president disclosed that the Federal Government was ready with the counterpart funding for the designated railway constructions from Lagos-Kano and Calabar-Lagos lines.

He said this when the new Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian, paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the relationship between Nigeria and China was getting stronger and strategic.

The Chinese envoy said trade between both countries had increased and described Nigeria as “giant of Africa”.

Pipeline vandalism dropped by 28 per cent in August – NNPC

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says pipeline vandalism across the country reduced by 28 per cent in August.

The corporation made this known in its 13th publication of Monthly Financial and Operations Report released on its website on Thursday.

According to the report, the spate of pipeline vandalism has reduced following the Federal Government and NNPC’s sustained engagements with Niger Delta militants.

“In August, 2016, there was 28.94 per cent drop in the number of pipelines vandalised points relative to July, 2016 which had up to 311 vandalised points,’’ the report stated.

On natural gas supply to power plants, the report stated that it edged up to 469 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) which equalled about 2,083 megawatts of electricity generation in August, 2016.

On refineries’ operations, it report said that the combined value of output by the three refineries “at import parity price’’ for August, 2016 was N50.19 billion.

“Associated crude plus freight cost was N39.77 billion, giving a surplus of N709.21 million after an overhead of N9.71 billion,’’ it said.

The report said that this was made possible in spite of the challenges of irregular crude supply and pipeline vandalism to the refineries.

On naira payments to the Federation Account, NNPC said it transferred N35.05 billion into the account in September from the net domestic crude oil receipt and another N1.80 billion from gas receipts.

It added that its instalment repayment of debt to the Federation Account was also done with N6.33 billion remitted as the 25th instance in the process.

“The domestic crude oil and gas receipt during the month amounted to N96.15 billion, consisting of N1.80 billion from domestic gas and the sum of N88.01 billion from domestic crude oil.

“Of the N88.01 billion receipt from crude oil, the sum of N52.96 billion (about 268.83 million dollars) was transferred to Joint Venture Cash Call (JVCC) being a first line charge.

“It also guarantees a continuous flow of revenue stream to Federation Account,” the report said.

FG Plans Dialogue With Militants To End Pipeline Vandalism – Lai Mohammed, Kachikwu

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Minister for Information and Culture with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Monday, said the Federal Government is considering opening a robust dialogue with the Niger-Delta militants on the need to stop militancy in the oil rich region.

The duo who spoke in an interactive session with a coalition of civil societies in Lagos, chaired by Dr. Moses Ilo, founder of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, stressed that nefarious activities of militants is currently sabotaging efforts being made by the government to revamp the nation’s economy. Mohammed while lamenting the situation said there was no other solution to the issues happening in Niger Delta other than engaging them in meaningful dialogue.

According to Kachikwu the government has come to realize that rolling out military tanks against the militants would not solve the problem. “The military barrels cannot stop or solve problem of militancy in the Niger–Delta region. I will have to go back to my brothers, they are our brothers we will go and dialogue with them,” Kachikwu said.

He said the continued audit of the country’s daily fuel consumption resulted in weeding out 10 million liters of fake petroleum products that was daily subsidized by the previous administration. Kachikwu lamented that the fund spent in subsidizing the pretentious consumption daily could have been used by the Federal Government to fix the refineries, roads and other basic amenities across the country which would have helped improve the Nigeria’s economy.

Credit: Vanguard

Wike Condemns Oil Installation Vandalism In Niger Delta

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Rivers Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt on Thursday condemned the resurgence of oil installation vandalism in the Niger Delta region.

A Government House statement, signed by Simeon Nwakodo, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Social Media, quoted Wike as making the condemnation during an interview with a German Television station.

He said that blowing up oil pipes and destroying other installations was an economic crime and capable of sending the nation economically backward.

“Such acts are criminal and clearly not in the interest of the nation and the region; the effects are negative.

“Destroying oil installations will reduce the revenue coming to the country and the Niger Delta states, the implication is purely negative,’’ the governor said.

Wike pledged to work with other governors in the Niger Delta to ensure proactive collaboration with the security agencies to check the crime.

“We will work with the law enforcement agencies to ensure that this ugly trend is tackled; it is not a good omen to our economy.

“Blowing up pipelines will not solve our development challenges, I know that insecurity is a threat to development, I will never support it,’’ he said.

(NAN)

FG Deploys Soldiers To Niger Delta Over Pipeline Vandalism

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Staff Reporter

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said that the Federal Government had started mobilising the military and task forces to the oil-rich Niger Delta.

He said the step became necessary to stop the sabotage of oil facilities and kidnapping of citizens for ransom in the coastal areas of the country.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President spoke at a meeting he had with a delegation from the United States’ Institute of Peace, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Buhari was quoted as saying that his administration is giving the highest priority to the resettlement of displaced persons and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the North-East, ravaged by the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

The President assured the delegation that his administration’s ongoing war against corruption would be fought within the ambit of the law. He added that mechanisms had been put in place to ensure respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism.

“We attach great importance to human rights. If there are breaches, they will be investigated and dealt with,” he said.

Buhari also welcomed the growing international support, especially from the United States and Europe, for Nigeria’s efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency.

The President also expressed happiness with the support of Nigerians for the cardinal programmes of his government, the security of the country, the war against corruption and revival of the economy.

The leader of the delegation, Ms. Nancy Lindborg, applauded the progress being made by the Buhari administration in ensuring greater security in Nigeria.

She promised the continued assistance of the institute for the reconstruction and development work going on in the country.

Meanwhile, the Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crusis has charged the Federal Government to look for the immediate and remote causes of Boko Haram insurgency and the pro-Biafran protests in the country and find possible ways of stopping them forthwith.

Speaking at a press briefing in Owerri on Monday, the Vice President of AMORC (Nigeria), Frater Prof. Jonathan C. Nwigwe, said that the economic meltdown, hardship, Boko Haram insurgency and pro-Biafran protesters were tantamount to destroying Nigeria.

Nwigwe said this at the beginning of the 40th Eastern Regional Conclave of the sectarian group in Owerri, capital of Imo State with the theme, “National Integration for Global Peace.”

He stated that there was no nation in the world that had developed in a state of disharmony. He said that unless humanity come together to agree on issues, there would not be peace.

Nwigwe, a lecturer at the Imo State University, Owerri, added that the hosting of the conclave in the state, which is 40 years in the East, was apt as the state celebrated her 40 years of existence.

Nwigwe advised Nigerians not to look up to government for all their needs, saying that government cannot do everything for her entire citizens.

He said, “It is high time Nigerians borrowed a leaf from the American parlance of, “Think of what you can do for America and not what America can do for you.”

Also, the National Board Secretary/Treasurer, AMORC (Nigeria), Frater Johnson Ikube, advocated for positive creativity and self-reliance among Nigerians.

He stated that gone were the days when graduates would think of white-collar jobs, adding that graduates thinking of such jobs now were living in a fool’s paradise.

He said, “Too much interest in white-collar job is what is causing unemployment in Nigeria. But once one is able to produce what others need, one is employed. Our youths should be re-trained and re-orientated on the circumstances of the time.”

Adding his voice, a member of the National Board of AMORC Nigeria, Chief Temple Owhonda-Wopara, said that the essence of the conclave was to educate people and turn them to know more about God and His laws.

He said, “Until humanity come together to agree on issues, there won’t be peace. We are billed to achieve peace and harmony in Nigeria through this conclave. In this regard, therefore, all hands must be on deck. It is not going to be achieved by AMORC members in Nigeria alone.”

He later called on the nation’s leaders to be very prudent in the management of affairs, as he said that any policy neglected or not well carried out would affect the nation and her citizens.

Credit : Punch

Police Nab Suspected Pipeline Vandal, Recover Truck

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Nigeria Police on Sunday arrested a suspected pipeline vandal and seized a petrol tanker conveying 13, 800 litres of diesel in Aninri Local Government area of Enugu State.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Ebere Amaraizu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that the suspect was arrested after a tip-off.

According to him the police also recovered pipeline drilling equipment, two pumping machines, pipeline sealants, a generating set and some spanners.

“The suspect alongside others now at large had allegedly stormed Umurah Ndeaboh bush on Dec. 31 at about 12 midnight in Aninri Local Government Area with their pipeline drilling equipment.

“With a Leyland 13,800-litre truck with registration number XF 312 PHC at a very long distance out of the vandalized area; they started siphoning the product (diesel) before police operatives acting on a tip closed in on them.”

He said that the police were on the trail of other suspects who escaped and assured that all those involved would be prosecuted.