Uche Usim, Abuja
Nigeria’s representative on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ Economic Commission Board (OPEC-ECB) and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Mele Kyari on Wednesday reaffirmed Nigeria’s total commitment to production adjustments agreed upon under the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) between OPEC member countries and non-OPEC nations at the last Ministerial Meeting tagged OPEC Plus, held on July 2, 2019, in Vienna, Austria.
This is as NNPC and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) have assured of robust collaboration to urgently mitigate incidences of oil spill across the country.
In a statement signed personally by him, Kyari noted that Nigeria was willing and able to comply with the agreement reached by the parties to the DoC.
He said: “Right now we are not only committed to the agreement but we have elevated our attitude towards it to the point of complete devotion to the adjustments and we urge other parties to follow suit,” the OPEC Rep stated.
He expressed strong optimism that the momentary and artificially induced bearish trends would naturally correct itself based on the strong market fundamentals which have remained steadfast despite the price slide.
Kyari pointed out that with a visible steady decline in commercial stock overhang propelled by healthy demand, it is only logical for all advocates of oil price stability like the OPEC Plus allies to comply strictly with the agreed production adjustments.
He concluded that with the increasing volatility of the oil market, it has become commonsensical for Nigeria and all other parties to the agreement to entrench an attitude of unwavering devotion to the deal anchored on full and timely conformity to their obligations.
In another development, the NNPC boss, Mele Kyari, while hosting the Director-General of NOSDRA, Mr. Idris Musa, said the corporation’s pipelines, flow stations and assets spread across the country were jointly owned by the federation and as such will be collaboratively maintained.
He noted that the Corporation produces crude oil to maintain a balance sheet for the nation, adding that it had taken several steps to deploy technology to stem incidences of oil spill.
“We have taken a number of steps to stem oil spill by deploying technology in order to make sure that whenever there is an oil spill incidence, it is contained almost immediately. We contain the incidences of oil theft, pipeline vandalism and acts of saboteurs and we intend to bring it to the barest minimum,” Mallam Kyari asserted.
He averred that the NNPC operated both crude oil and petroleum products pipelines adding that the Corporation was collaborating with all its partners to curb incidences of oil spill in all areas of its operations.
The NNPC helmsman said the Corporation would also forge closer ties with NOSDRA to proactively forestall oil spill in areas that are prone to incessant incidences.
Earlier, the Director General of NOSDRA, Mr. Musa, said the Agency was prepared to partner the NNPC in mitigating oil spill in all areas of its oerations stressing that the partnership would ensure a good operating environment for the operators and the inhabitants.
He added that breaking of petroleum products pipelines did not provide food, water and good environment for the people rather the malaise bleeds the national purse of revenues that would have being used to provide developmental infrastructure for the various tiers of government.