As part of measures of tackling issues of oil pollution and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta, a Chemical Engineer and university lecturer, Engr. Ujile Uwajiogak has called on the Federal Government to extend its olive branch in the amnesty programme to operators of illegal bunkering and oil pipeline vandals.
Speaking in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, recently, the University Don, said, the “bleeding creeks” of the Niger Delta region can only be saved when those involved in the “cooking of crude oil” are properly rehabilitated into the society through an alternative means of livelihood.
According to the Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Rivers State University, such amnesty can be done by training the illegal bunkerers and oil pipleline vandals in special technical skills and giving them incentives to earn a genuine means of livelihood.
The expert, who frowned at the decline in technical education in our society, advocated the full inclusion of technical education in the school curriculum at all levels of education.
He pointed out that such deliberate educational policy would enhance local content development in Nigeria and promote enterpreneural growth among the youths.
Also commenting on the concept of modular refineries introduced by the Federal Government, he said the project is not realistic and should be jettisoned.
He said the idea of establishing modular refineries for illegal bunkerers is ridiculous as the requisite technology is totally lacking among the target beneficiaries of the project.
According to him, the solution to boosting domestic production of petroleum products is to revamp existing refineries and the inclusion of experts in policy making in the oil and gas sector.
He added that local content development can only succeed in Nigeria when indigenous firms and enterpreneurs are motivated and encouraged through the provision of good incentives with enabling environment to operate.

Taneh Beemene