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Oil Theft Pushing Nigeria’s Economy Into Coma, Senate Laments
The Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, yesterday, in Abuja, said the generation and collection of revenues have remained Nigeria’s major challenges as well as the massive loss of revenue through oil theft which is “debilitating and threatening to throw the economy into a coma.”
Lawan, while welcoming his colleagues from the long annual recess, lamented that “revelations about the scale of oil theft shows that, until the government takes decisive actions, Nigeria could soon lose any revenue from that sector.”
He charged his colleagues to ensure that everything is done to curtail this theft.
Lawan said the nation’s economy “is still challenged” and stressed the need for the National Assembly and the Executive to continually seek better responses to the economic situation.
Specifically, he said their focus must remain on ensuring a secured and safe country and an economy that works for all citizens.
“In the next nine months, our attention and devotion should bring improvement to the current situations. This Senate is a Senate that will continue to work for all Nigerians at all times,” he said.
The Senate president explained that the confirmation of the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, work on the 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategic Paper (MTEF/FSP), 2022 budget and working to support the nation’s defence and security forces, among others, would largely be the focus of the upper legislative chamber in the next three months.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to present the 2023 budget estimates to the joint session of the National Assembly in the first week of October.
“The Ninth Senate has established the practice of processing the annual Appropriation Bill of each year between October and December. I commend distinguished Senators for this achievement and a legacy that has changed the annual budgetary cycle of the Federal Government,” he said.
The Senate president, however, reminded his colleagues that they have resumed to continue with the very good work they have done in the last three years.
“As we all know, this resumption marks the final session of our tenure. The Ninth Senate has nine months to conclude its tenure.
“Like the last three years, we are prepared to make the remaining period very productive and successful. No doubt that the Ninth Senate has performed creditably and will end very well. We scored so many feats and broke many jinxes through various legislative interventions. I must commend all of us for the commitment, dedication and patriotism and sense of duty,” he stressed.
Lawan recalled the “serious concerns” of the Senate on the security situation in the country and expressed happiness about the successes recorded so far by the security agencies.
Nonetheless, he promised that the Senate would continue to engage with the defence and security agencies through its appropriate committees, to ensure that the engagements are sustained, commending them for stepping up their operations.
On the 2023 general elections, he said the Senate and the National Assembly will work with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC) to ensure very successful, transparent and credible elections.
“We are ready to support INEC in all possible ways as a legislature. Already, the timely amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 has provided very important innovations in ensuring a better electoral climate,” he said.
Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has likened oil thieves to terrorists, and urged the Federal Government to treat them like insurgents.
Gbajabiamila, in his welcome address, yesterday, at the resumption of plenary at the green chamber explained that despite the money spent yearly on protecting oil assets, the arrangements are not working.
The government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited agreed to engage General Tompolo to end illegal bunkering, illegal refining and oil theft in Niger-Delta communities.
The multi-billion surveillance contract has been generating reactions across the country.
Gbajabiamila, in his speech, said there is a need for the government to review the existing policy on oil theft.
He urged the government to treat oil thieves like terrorists.
“There are mechanisms in place to prevent these sorts of bad actors, and the government spends significant amounts of money each year to protect oil and gas resources in the country. Evidently, these existing arrangements do not suffice. As such, there is an urgent need to review them and make the necessary improvements.
“It is also of particular importance that the perpetrators of these crimes against the state are identified, prosecuted and subjected to the stiffest penalties the law allows. Those who seek to impoverish our country in this manner have declared war against the Nigerian people.
“They are no different from the insurgents and terrorists against whom we are battling in various theatres. The government’s response must be sufficient to convince them of the error of their ways and deter others who might be tempted to join in their treason,” he said.
Gbajabiamila also admonished his colleagues not to abandon their responsibilities as lawmakers as campaigns are about to commence.
He also commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for the recent drug burst at Ikorodu in Lagos.
The speaker noted that Nigerians must do all it takes to prevent drugs from overrunning the country.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers Council, has called for policies that will improve the economic situation of the country in order to ensure enhanced living standard for workers.
The State Chairman, Mr Alex Agwanwor, made the remark on behalf of the unions affiliated to Labour Congress during the 2025 workers day celebration in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Agwanwor highlighted the demands of the Unions which included the immediate payment of pension arrears, implementation of the N32,000 minimum wage for pensioners, and payment of gratuities and death benefits without further delay.
“We are calling for the regulation and protection of e-hailing drivers, implementation of increments and promotions, and resolution of long-standing issues in the polytechnic sector,” he said.
Agwanwor on behalf of the unions appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reinstate the democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
He stressed the importance of democratic governance and good working relationship with elected representatives.
According to him, the unions expressed disappointment over the imposition of taxes, increase in electricity tariff, and high cost of goods and services, which have further worsened the plight of workers.
“We urge the federal government to take measures to alleviate the suffering of citizens,” he said.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu is committed to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential and position the country as a leading force on the African continent.
Shettima stated this when he hosted a delegation from the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, led by its Senior Fellow, Dr Rolf Alter, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Wednesday.
He said Nigeria was actively seeking expertise from the global best institutions to enhance policy formulation and implementation, particularly in human capital development.
The Vice-President noted that President Tinubu was determined to elevate Nigeria to its rightful position as a leading force in Africa.
“The current crop of leadership in Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready and willing to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian nation on the African continent.
” We are laying the groundwork through strategic reforms, and at the heart of it, is human capital development.”
He described the Hertie School as a valuable partner in the journey.
According to him, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, has track record and institutional knowledge to add value to our policy formulation and delivery, especially in this disruptive age.
Shettima reiterated the government’s priority on upskilling Nigerians, saying ” skills are very important, and with our Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 programme.
“We are in a position to unleash the full potential of the Nigerian people by enhancing their capital skills.”
The Vice-President acknowledged the vital support of international development partners in that effort.
” I want to thank the World Bank, the European Union, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and all our partners in that drive to add value to the Nigerian nation,” he maintained.
The Vice-President said human capital development was both an economic imperative and a social necessity.
Shettima assured the delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation.
” We need the skills and the capacity from your school. The world is now knowledge-driven.
“I wish to implore you to have a very warm and robust partnership with the government and people of Nigeria.”
Shettima further explained recent economic decisions of the government, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.
“The removal of fuel subsidy, the unification of the exchange rate regime and the revolution in the energy sector are all painful processes, but at the end of the day, the Nigerian people will laugh last.
“President Tinubu is a very modern leader who is willing to take far-reaching, courageous decisions to reposition the Nigerian economy,” he added.
Earlier, Alter, congratulated the Tinubu administration for the successful launch and implementation of the Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy.
The group leader described the development as ambitious and targeted towards the improvement of the lives of the citizens.
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his engagements since arriving in the country.
He applauded the zeal, commitment, energy and goodwill observed among stakeholders in the implementation of Nigeria’s HCD programme.
Alter said the Hertie School of Governance would work closely with authorities in Nigeria across different levels to deliver programmes specifically designed to address the unique needs of the country.
He, however, stressed the need for government officials at different levels to be agile and amenable to the dynamics of the evolving world, particularly as Nigeria attempted to successfully accelerate its human capital development aspirations.
The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board says it has begun the compilation of list of retired civil servants who have defaulted on the full repayment of housing loans obtained.
Head of Information and Public Relations, FGSHLB, Mrs Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Obiechina quoted the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Salamatu Ahmed, as saying that the move was aimed at recovering mortgaged properties from retirees who failed to meet their loan obligations.
Ahmed noted that the decision followed a recent memo issued by Mrs Patience Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to her, the memo reminded public servants of the mandatory requirement to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness to the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a precondition for retirement.
The Executive Secretary said that the board would take necessary legal steps to repossess properties where applicable, in line with the terms of the loan agreements.
She said this was in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules 021002 (p), issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness as a prerequisite for retirement.
“The Federal Government will commence the seizure of mortgaged properties belonging to retiring federal public servants who have failed to fully repay housing loans obtained from the board,” she said.
Ahmed explained that the FGSHLB reserves the legal right to repossess any mortgaged property in cases where a public servant exits service without fully repaying the loan.
She reiterated that the directive also applied to already retired officers who were still indebted.
She urged all affected public servants to regularise their loan status and obtain the required clearance certificate without delay.
“The board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery.
“The FGSHLB remains committed to enforcing compliance and ensuring proper loan recovery procedures are followed, “ she added.
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