News

Security Agents In N’Delta Conniving With Criminals To Steal Oil, FG Admits

Published

1 month ago

April 15, 2022

The Federal Government has admitted that some security personnel deployed to fight oil theft were heavily involved in collaborating with those stealing the commodity in the Niger Delta.
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, who spoke on a national television during a programme tagged, “Eagle Eye”, in Abuja, noted that the government was planning various layers to monitor the personnel paid to halt the menace.
“Definitely, there are collaborators. Even during militancy, we had this issue within the military. So, the government could not really enforce the law effectively because of the activities of these collaborators.
“If you have something like a crime that has gone on for this long and a joint task force is in place to actually exterminate this crime and the crime has even gone worse, then definitely whoever is in charge is probably not doing their job.
“But at this time, the Federal Government is giving a note of warning and there will be other layers on top of those who are actually operating to monitor them, because the problem is to send people to take care of the crime and if you just leave them on their own, then in many cases they become part of the crime,” he contended.
Sylva stated that the current incessant vandalism of oil and gas pipelines was a metamorphosis of the militancy in the Niger Delta region, which although led to the training of several youths in the region, has extended to the ongoing challenge.
The minister noted that oil theft was not a creation of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, stressing that it has been in Nigeria for decades.
He said that at a time there was some sympathy for the culprits, which aggravated the matter.
The minister stated that the situation is no longer sustainable; pointing out that Nigeria was currently losing a lot of its production, a development that spurred the president to act on the matter.
On the recent allegation by a businessman and Founder Heir Holdings, Tony Elumelu, that more than 95per cent of total oil production is stolen, Sylva said that the business leader was probably talking about his (Tony’s) asset and not the generality of the industry losses.
“I saw that tweet from Tony and I would say that Tony doesn’t have an overview of the whole industry. He is pumping his production into one particular pipeline, the TNP line and that is actually one of the most majorly impacted of our pipelines.
“There are other pipelines that are not as impacted as the TNP, so he was speaking from his own perspective and he is not in a position to speak for the industry. So, if you said he lost 90per cent of his production I understand, which is a very small production compared to the national production, but that figure does not apply to the whole country,” he declared.
He stated that although he couldn’t say exactly how much oil is stolen, since many conditions impact how much is taken at every point in time, it could be up to 200,000 bpd one day and change the next.
Describing the inability of Nigeria to meet its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota, as a sad topic for discussion, he said that it was a combination of factors that were responsible, including lack of new investment as a result of the delay in passing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
In addition, he listed sabotage, vandalism and the challenge of restarting oil wells that were shut down to align with OPEC cuts in 2020.
“In trying to shut down 200,000 barrels, you might shut down up to 300,000 barrels because the production is not really mathematical,” he explained, adding that bringing back the pressure to begin pumping has become difficult.
He reiterated that there’s been some improvement, stressing that by the end of this year, production will be ramped up to pre-pandemic levels.
Sylva stated that the negative belief that people could sit down in their homes and have free money introduced by some members of the elite in the Niger Delta was also to blame for the current challenge.
He maintained that it was wrong to equate oil theft to artisanal mining in the North because those miners in the North dig for the commodities while the oil thieves break into readymade and already operational pipelines.
Insisting that it is purely a criminal activity, he made it clear that the government should not just go about destroying the facilities, but should target the arrest of individuals that are involved.
“It’s very misplaced and sometimes people equate it with artisanal mining. These are two different activities. Artisanal mining is a situation where men will go down with shovels and head pans and dig for the gold and they find it,” he noted.
He explained that the monster created by the elite was coming back to haunt them in the form of kidnapping, noting that they have now realised the impact of the wrong values inculcated in the youths of the Niger Delta.
Sylva argued that when the Federal Government sought the help of some leaders in the Niger to tackle the problem, they were rebuffed, but said that the recent efforts by the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, had brought to the fore the magnitude of the problem and how it affects everyone.
“It’s the same thing with the issue of soot in Port Harcourt. But initially, the state government was not very interested in resolving the issue. Because we tried to approach them, but of course, at every point in time, they rebuffed us. They said, this is their way of also getting access to the oil wealth.
“But today, the chicken has gone home to roost. Everybody knows that this problem is a problem that will kill all of us. So, all hands are coming together to fight the problem,” he added.

News

LG Boss Lauds Mrs. Wike On Women’s Mentorship

Published

11 hours ago

May 25, 2022

The Tide

The Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, Hon. Anengi Barasua has said that the mentorship roled played by Mrs. Suzzuest Nyesom Wike has enriched women in the State in all ramifications.

She said Justice Nyesom Wike’s display of humility and support for women was worthy for emulation.

Barasua, said this while fielding questions from journalists, at the weekend, in her office in Bonny, saying support given to the governor was enormous.

” Justice Suzzuest Wike, is a virtuous mother and role model to women, particularly in Rivers State. The women are proud of her. Her humility and inspiration she has given to women is commendable” Barasua said.

The local government chairperson urged women in authority to always emulate Mrs Wike, as she support her husband to succeed in his administration.

” I want to say an old time adage that says behind every successful man there is a woman. We have seen a real mother that has so much interest in women empowerment and deveploment.

I urge every woman in her position to emulate her and be submissive to your husbands. I also use this opportunity to felicitate with her on her birthday and wish her God protection and good health” she stated.

In another deveploment, Bonny Chairman has also congratulated all women elected in the just concluded PDP delegate and primary elections describing it as most peaceful.

She reiterated her commitment to the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike for given women more opportunity to participate in the democratic process.

News

Nigeria’s GDP Grew By 3.11% In Q1 2022, NBS Affirms

Published

16 hours ago

May 25, 2022

The Tide

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.11per cent in the first quarter of 2022.
The NBS made this known via its Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report Q1 2022 released, last Monday.
According to the report, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 3.11per cent year-on-year in real terms in the first quarter of 2022.
The NBS noted that the development showed a sustained positive growth for six consecutive quarters since the recession witnessed in 2020 when negative growth rates were recorded in quarter two and three of 2020.
It added that the first quarter 2022 growth rate further represents an improvement in economic performance.
The NBS stated: “The observed trend since Q4 of 2020 is an indication of a gradual economic stability.
“The Q1 of 2022 growth rate was higher than the 0.51per cent growth rate recorded in Q1 of 2021 by 2.60per cent points and lower than 3.98per cent recorded in Q4 of 2021 by 0.88per cent points.
“Nevertheless, quarter-on-quarter, real GDP grew at -14.66per cent in Q1 of 2022, compared to Q4 of 2021, reflecting a lower economic activity than the preceding quarter.
“In the period under review, aggregate GDP stood at about N45.317million in nominal terms.
“This performance is higher when compared to the first quarter of 2021 which recorded aggregate GDP of about N40.014million, indicating a year-on-year nominal growth rate of 13.25per cent.
“The nominal GDP growth rate in Q1 2022 was higher relative to the 12.25per cent growth recorded in Q1 2021, and higher compared to the 13.11per cent growth recorded in the preceding quarter,” the report read.

News

RSG Launches RIV-CARES Programme …World Bank Rates Rivers High

Published

16 hours ago

May 25, 2022

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has launched the state COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (RIV-CARES) Programme.
The state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike performed the launching at the NBA Secretariat in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Speaking through his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor said the programme was to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the poor and vulnerable households and support micro and small-scale enterprises as a means of stimulating economic growth post-COVID.
According to the State Chief Executive, “the state government had signed in for the programme, made provisions in the 2022 Budget for Result Areas and signed Funds Release Policy, which is an assurance to the World Bank that funds shall be released for the implementation of the programme”.
Wike said the launching of the RIV-CARES Programme would create awareness for the people of the state and engender expression of interest by beneficiary households, communities and operators of micro and small businesses (SMEs).
The governor, who encouraged the Rivers people to take advantage of the opportunities provided by RIV-CARES to enhance their means of livelihood and reduce the spate of poverty in the communities, commended the World Bank and the Federal CARES for their support to the state.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Titilola Kuna Cline, said in a bid to check the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods, food security and micro and small businesses, the World Bank in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the state governments, introduced the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme.
She said the state scaled through rigorous preparatory stages and qualified to participate in the programme whose objective was “to expand access to livelihood support and food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households and firms”.
According to her, the stages include, signing of subsidiary loan agreement and fund release policy by the government.
Others include the establishment of the RIV-CARES Steering Committee, establishment of State- CARES Coordination Unit domiciled in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and preparation of work plan.
“The NG-CARES, after domestication of programme implementation manual now known as RIV-CARES programme has the State Coordination Unit (SCU) saddled with coordinating implementation of RIV-CARES programme in the state and reporting to Federal-CARES supporting unit and the World Bank in Abuja.
“It is also a bridge between the delivery platforms and the State-CARES Steering Committee and for delivery platform under three Results Areas (RA1-3).
Cline listed the three areas to include cash transfer unit, labour intensive public works and community-driven development social (CDD-S) Plus.
The rest are, FADAMA and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Also speaking, the representative of the World Bank, Mr. Aso Vakporaye, said the programme must succeed in order to kick out poverty from the state in view of the fact that failure to kick out poverty would make life difficult for the entire citizenry.
He, therefore, thanked the governor for making it possible for Rivers State to participate in the programme.
Similarly, the World Bank and the Federal Government have rated Rivers State high in the implementation of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus scheme by the state government.
Representative of the World Bank Task Team Leader, Mr.Aso Vakporaye said this, yesterday, in Port Harcourt at the official flag offand implementation of the Rivers State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (RIV-CARES) Programme in the state.
Vakporaye, who is also the chairman of the Federal Government’sFederal-CARES Technician Committee,confirmed that Rivers State has met the requirements for the implementation of the programme.
He said alot still remains to be done,adding that the state needs to release more money for the implementation of the programme.
Also speaking, theTechnical Head of State CARESCoordinating Unitand Secretary,RIV-CARESSteering Committee,Mrs Imaonyeni Ephraim, said the programme would improve the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable people in the state.
She said the programme, which runs for two years,was open to many beneficiaries.
The flag off was performed by the state Deputy Governor,Dr.Ipalibo Harry Banigo, onbehalf of Governor Nyesom Wike.