‘FG Loses N5.9bn Annually To Illegal Bunkering, Pipelines Vandalisation’

A group known as the Association of Surface Tank Oil and Gas Retailers, (ASTOGRN) says available statistics have revealed that oil bunkering activities and pipeline vandalisation in the Niger Delta costs the Federal Government about N5.9 billion annually.
Chairperson of the Rivers State chapter of the association, Comrade Patience Uche, made the disclosure during an exclusive interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, at the weekend.
Apart from the huge loss in revenue, she said oil bunkering and pipeline vandalisation had also resulted in the colossal loss of lives as most of the vandals were always consumed in pipeline explosions during the bunkering activities.
Comrade Uche, who decried the increasing involvement of youths in illegal bunkering, advocated for a more proactive and corrective measure to bring lasting solution to the vice.
According to her, part of the solution is the building of modular refineries in the Niger Delta and the engagement of the youth in the oil and gas sector.
“Most of the youths who got involved in illegal oil bunkering and lost their lives in the process could have played a more creative and productive role in the oil and gas industry if they were functionally trained.
“The Federal Government should be serious about the establishment of modular refineries and the training of youths to participate in the process, this will go a long way to tackle the challenges of illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta, she said.
Comrade Uche said the major drive of the association was to make oil and gas business rural based, “to improve the socio-economic and general living conditions of its members”.
She was optimistic that the association will achieve the targets by encouraging its members to get licences from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to be actively involved in the oil and gas business.
She pointed out that the initiative would also reduce petroleum supplies from foreign marketers through importation of products, kill the spirit of bunkering and increase the federal government’s revenue on surface tank retails business in the country.

By: Taneh Beemeneh