Bizman Wants FG To Empower Illegal Bunkerers

A businessman, Chief  Meshack Osihro has called on the federal government to identify and empower illegal bunkerers as a way to boosting the economy and curbing criminality in the sector.

Chief Osihro, who hails from Delta State in the Isoko North Local Government Area of the state who spoke with our correspondent over the weekend at a public function in Warri said the operators of the illegal bunkering camps should not be regarded as criminals.

According to him, if these boys could out of their ingenuity refine petrol, diesel, kerosene and crude oil, the government should have a rethink.

He opined that if the government in its might could not make any of its refineries to work then it has better empower those who can do it by giving licence to the bunkerers.

I want government to assist to bargain to open a dump for them because there is no functional refineries in the country.

The refineries are not working so these boys that are doing this bunkering should be supported by the government, he said.

He went further to say that they should be given licences to operate freely without hindrance.

He said if this was done, there would be no need for us to export our crude and then import it again at a higher price and sell to the people still much higher.

He described the process as “a national shame” even as he said government has no choice but to coopt  “the boys” into the petroleum production mechanism.

He further explained that the people who were into the bunkering business have the first motive of survival due to the high unemployment rate in the country, adding that illegal bunkering would reduce to its barest minimum as soon as the government licences them within the shortest possible time.

According to him, in the United States and elsewhere, such people are given recognition by the government through proper training and co-opted into the economic mainstream of the government.

He said if these bunkerers were identified and negotiated with as it was done with the militants “pipeline vandalisation would stop.”

He said government has no excuse to give to the people when refineries at Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna were not working even as he said “it would do the environment some good if they are seen as good citizens.