Continued from last week

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“…. Increasing the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N86.50kobo per litre to N145, is unjustifiable. It is nonsense…. identifying Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), demurrage, charges by Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), jetty and depot charges, retailer’s margin on petroleum, transporter’s margin on petroleum, dealer’s margin on petroleum, smuggling across borders, storage, and so on as some of the additional charges put on the price of PMS.”
– Professor Tam David West talking to OLUSEYE OJO, Saturday SUN, IBADAN. May 21, 2016
On the event of Intervention as a stage in Conflict Management, Intervention by a nation, a bloc, an agent etc. must be massive, over whelming if it is to resolve the impasse permanently. If the Intervention is staged to effect a coercive outcome on the conflict, the intervening party’s initial mobilization and aggressive conduct on the arena of conflict must clearly crush the targeted party to give unambiguous and clear military victory to the favored other party in alliance with the Interventionist.
On the other hand, if the Interventionist is intervening for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, that power or agent must do so having assured itself and the parties in the conflict of her credibility, unfettered influence and above all must be very powerful to meet the acceptable demands of those parties in conflict.
Since the colonial appointed Willink Minority Commission of 1957, the Nigerian Federal Government has established NNDC, Niger Delta Regional Ministry, Amnesty Program, and infact proclaimed the Niger Delta Presidency, all to assuage the environmental disaster that has plagued the Niger Delta Region since the striking of oil in Oloibiri in 1958.
In the one week we had discussed Buhari’s Olive Branch extension to the Niger Delta, this Column has been deluged by calls from the Niger Delta and we are surprised that most of the calls are not pointing any fingers of guilt towards the Avengers. On the same note, they are excited and full of hope following the Government’s new stance to talk and resolve the crisis. We had argued that for the two parties in the Niger Delta conflict to quickly take advantage of Buhari’s brandishing of the Olive Branch, parties have to engage pronto, on issues which can readily find resolution. From that initial agreement, they can proceed with promising faith and credibility and move to those areas of seeming intractability. We believe that if this very important product is produced locally, the cost of living in Nigeria will return to civility to our despairing people. Our people will saunter out from the stone age of darkness. Our economy will recover and employment will be given to thousands of our living dead.
On that score, we conclude the publication of the final Interview given to Titi Governor, the Nigerian Scientist who discovered the electric heater by Akpokona Omafuaire, Sunday Vanguard, November 2, 2014. We believe it is the first course for peace for the Federal Government to withdraw the giddy JTF from the Niger Delta and legalize the local production of our crude.
Governor Titi on his refinery and sources of crude oil….? “My method refines quality petrol, kerosene, diesel and gas. The quality of my product is better than what they produce in government refineries because we took samples of the products to laboratory for test. We actually did the sample test before we started mass production, though production never lasted for over two weeks before the military came to destroy all my efforts.
“We have many sources where we get crude. We get from anywhere. Getting the crude is not difficult. We know that it is from illegal source but it is our area where the crude is being extracted and we know the method of getting it.”
“I spent a lot of money to construct the electric oven (kiln). I bought the plates in Warri, transported them to the location. I paid tips along the water ways before the welder’s charges. The oven cost over N11million to construct.”
“The business is a very profitable one; I can pay staff even better than Chevron and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, if given license to operate. We will create jobs and can stop sea pirates as a lot of youths will be gainfully engaged in the refining business. I believe strongly that kidnapping, prostitution and armed robbery will also become a thing of the past. Our business has the ability to engage both skilled and unskilled persons, no one will risk his life when there is genuine means of livelihood.
We pay per drum refined and it is daily payment. Before the destruction, we made good money. The business is very profitable. We pay for the crude. But if government gives us license, the cost of crude will be a bit higher but this also means our price for finished products will increase a little. So anyhow it goes, it is a very lucrative business.”
“We can meet the regulatory standard if our operation is licensed. And if government approves our operation, we can stop importation of refined products, grow the economy as we will have all the required professionals too. It is a win-win situation, the standard will even be higher because we will have power and encouragement to improve on the refining method we have adopted. We assure the price of petrol will be reduced from the present N97 per litre and there will never be fuel scarcity in the country. We will even grow the economy faster as we will begin to export refined products.”
“For now we can’t build modular refineries, but if government assists us we can do it. The important issue is that our operation be legalized by giving us license. My decision to speak out is borne out of the fact that the daily destruction of these local refineries is not the solution; so doing can only push the operators into stealing. Since we have the ability to refine and build the national economy and create jobs, we have to cry out. This is brain development by the Ijaw people, it cannot die, it should be developed. Destruction of illegal refineries does more harm and pollution than the refiners, the Federal Government has to do something about it.” “I had over 25 workers. But since the destruction of my camp, they have all been thrown into hunger. Government should look into this issue. I feed and accommodate my staff and they are happy. I pay N1, 000 to the workers per drum; if two workers produce 40 drums over night, they have N40, 000. So you can imagine if they produce 100 drums for 24 hours.”