In a bid to curb the oil theft menace in the State and save the collective wealth of the nation, the Delta State Governor and Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has charged stakeholders in oil & gas industry including host communities to partner with the newly inaugurated Special Investigative Panel on oil theft and losses in Nigeria to curb crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
Governor Okowa stated this in Asaba yesterday while playing host to the 11-member Special Investigative Panel on Oil Theft and Losses in Nigeria led by Major General Barry Ndiomu (Rtd).
Commending the Federal Government for the wisdom in setting up the investigative panel, Governor Okowa, who was represented by the State Deputy Governor, Dcn. Kingsley Otuaro stated that the 2-factor challenge which are the Internal and External securities have been compromised and advised to look into them that the nation was losing billions of naira due to oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
He assured the State Government readiness to furnish the panel with relevant information that would assist in carrying out it’s assignment adding that his administration had taken deliberate steps by providing structures to help to curb the phenomenon of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft .
Okowa enumerated the Delta State Waterways, Land Security and the Delta State Committee Against Oil Asset Destruction among others aimed at deepening engagements with stakeholders in the sectors to prevent oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
The PDP Vice Presidential candidate expressed delight that there had been significant improvement in crude oil production particularly with the engagement of Tantita Security Outfit which had helped to forestall crude oil theft and vandalism.
He said “we are ready and willing to rescue our economy from oil theft by supplying all necessary manpower and intelligence to help their investigations”.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Panel, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu stated that they were in Delta State to find lasting solutions to the menace of oil theft in the state and the country in general.
He assured that the recommendations of the panel would not go the way of other committees and panels set up by previous governments and solicited for support from the state government.
“We shall work with your government to ensure that the perpetrators of oil theft in the state are not only exposed but brought to book”. He stated.
Spade Ng News gathered that the Gentlemen Soldiers panel, which is chaired by the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu, with a seasoned administrators and retired senior military and police officers as members with Mr. David Attah as Secretary, are ready to unraveled the Nigeria’s lost of 1.4trn to Crude Oil Theft in 14 Months