Ben Dunno, Warri
Asset Management Team (AMT) of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 34, Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), its business partner, Niger Delta (ND) Western, has decried the level of environmental degradation as a result of the activities of oil thieves in the region.
The Manager, Government, Community Relations and Security, under the AMT, Mr. Sheidu Aighedo, raised this fresh alarm in Warri on Wednesday while speaking on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer, NPDC/NDW OML34 AMT, Chief Edirin Abamwa, during an interactive media session.
Although not ruling out claims of conspiracy between indigenes, security agencies and the cartel behind these criminal acts, Aighedo noted that the health hazards posed to the lives of the locals due to these acts remains a major concern.
He stated that it was more annoying and irresponsible for the indigenes to claim that outsiders are the ones perpetrating these illegalities in their communities, wondering why they would ever allow strangers to come and carry out such devastating acts on their land.
According to him, “have you ever seen or witnessed a situation where these criminals are siphoning crude from pipelines? They waste greater percentage of the crude into the environment in the cause of trying to clamp valves and pipes and these ends up destroying the aquatic lives in such areas”.
“We are aware that in most cases, there’s always a conspiracy between indigenes and those who carry out these illegalities, but it’s worrisome that some community leaders and youths could allow such huge destruction of their environment by these criminals”.
“It is their future they are destroying more at the end of the day. Yes, the company might be affected in terms of commercial gains as a result of shortages in crude. But the indigenes’ future in terms of dangers posed to their health and environment is more grievous”, he stated.
While dismissing the claim of an insider collaborations with the cartel, he stated that the oil company spen over a billion Naira on yearly basis to curtail oil theft through the pipeline surveillance contracts awarded indigenous firms.
He explained that the company’s commitment to the local content policy for pipeline surveillance contract was borne out of the desire to encourage local firms that have built capacity over the years in that field.
The Manager said that the company is currently looking at technology to enhance pipeline surveillance, including the use of surveillance drones to curb the menace across the region.
Aighedo pointed out that government could achieve so much if it collaborate with other stakeholders in the sector to adopt the three punitive measures of prevention, protection and prosecution.
On the company’s GMoU agreement with host Communities, Aighedo noted that all issues concerning its operations including inherited liabilities from Shell and three years’ arrears of N1.3 billion to contractors have been cleared.
He noted that the GMoU inherited from Shell, which earmarked yearly payment of N106 million for 34 impacted communities, has since expired, adding that a new “steady state GMoU” was currently running with annual payment rate of N250 million for 27 communities.