Oil workers urge Tinubu to relocate military chiefs to Niger Delta
Oil workers have urged President Bola Tinubu to relocate military chiefs to the Niger Delta to halt crude oil theft and generate more revenue for the country.
The workers, under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), urged the Tinubu administration to pay more attention to the region as an increase to crude oil production was critical to stabilising the economy, reports The Nation.
President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo, who spoke on behalf of the oil workers at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union today in Abuja, noted that the country’s crude oil production could increase by 30 per cent if oil theft was tackled.
Osifo said: “We have tried to let government understand that they need to pay more attention to what’s happening in the Niger Delta. We’re talking about solid minerals they are quite good, we are talking about diversification they are quite good but they cannot come overnight. The easiest solution and what can come readily overnight is actually incremental production of crude oil today.
“If all is done the right way we could increase our crude oil production by nothing less than 30%. When this is done it’s going to give us more forex, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) could have much more financial muscles to be able to defend our naira. We implore President Tinubu to ask his commanders to relocate to Niger Delta and ensure that this menace of crude oil theft is put to a halt.
“If you put it to a halt you will be able to generate more revenue and at the end of the day, the Nigerian state will be better for it.”
Condemning the killing of military personnel at Okuama community in Delta state, Osifo urged the military to approach the situation with caution to avoid a repeat of what happened in Zaki Biam and Odi, while ensuring perpetrators of the act were caught and justice served.
