The Rivers State Government has called on youths in the state to quit crude oil theft and artisanal refining in the state.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Prof Roseline Konya gave the charge at a grassroot youth sensitisation campaign against illegal refining and crude oil theft last Wednesday in Akpajo, Eleme Local Government Area of the state. Konya said the government has taken steps towards engaging youths through skills acquisition and job creation, noting that the sensitisation was in conjunction with the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
Represented by a Director in the Ministry, Charles George, Konya said the aim of the campaign was to create awareness in the dangers of pipeline vandalism to the people.
According to her, “there’re enormous danger in terms of the people, the environment and the economy”.
She therefore charged the youth to maintain peace in their communities and exercise patience stressing, “at the appropriate time, once the cleanup comes a lot of jobs will be created within that system when youths are asked to get out from these bad activities we prefer solutions”.
The commissioner expressed the hope that when youths acquire skills, after the campaign and with the starter packs they will be given, they would put their hands to gainful activities.
On his part, the Director General, NOSDRA, Peter Idabor, who spoke through the Director General, Assent, Safety and Litigation department of the agency, Melus Odobo, warned against encroachment of pipeline right of way to avoid explosion, saying, “people shouldn’t build on pipeline right of way, they should not farm on pipeline right of way, to avoid explosions”.
In his response, the chairman community development committee, Akpajo, Oliver Nwidaa, who spoke on behalf of the community, appealed to the government to create job opportunities to the youths to discourage oil theft.

Tonye Nria-Dappa