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Oil Theft: Avuru Seeks National Emergency On Oil Sector
Former chief executive officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Austin Avuru, has said that 80percent of Nigeria’s oil production was lost to oil theft.
This is coming amid an assertion by the Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Tony Elumelu, that Nigeria was “losing over 95percent of oil production to thieves”.
Avuru, in a report titled, “Reining in the Collapse of the Nigerian Oil Industry” published by the Africa Oil+Gas Report, called for a state of emergency in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.
He urged regulators and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to set up a “war room” strategy to develop a plan to return the oil sector to “full bloom.
“With eyes fixed on divestments and exit, the IOCs have not made any meaningful investments in the last 15 years,” he said.
“The result has not just been declining production. Much worse, the entire export pipeline network has been surrendered to vandals and illegal bunkerers. Thus, the phrase “crude theft” which crept into the industry about 2010 has taken on a new meaning.
“There are some pipeline systems now (particularly in the East), where 80percent of production injected therein does not make it to the terminal!”
According to him, almost every producer is now cooking up “alternative evacuation” schemes that cost four to five times what pipeline export would normally cost!
“The stark reality today is that the IOCs are leaving. Their decision to leave is outside our control as a nation. In fact, over the last 12 years, Shell and Chevron have divested from a total of 21 blocks. It is now public knowledge that Shell and ExxonMobil are now exiting the onshore/shallow water altogether,” he said.
“In fact, my projection is that, by Christmas day of 2025, Total would be the only IOC in JV with NNPC.
“The situation is the same with domestic gas delivery. Even though we are weaving all the right slogans about the future of gas in Nigeria, in the past five years, I can only point at a couple of Nigerian independents who are investing in gas development and processing for the domestic market.
“The state of the NNPC Towers in Abuja, headquarters of the Nigerian oil industry: Just standing back and intervening by pre-emptive acquisitions cannot be a sustainable solution to the question of retreating IOCs Nigerian Petroleum Industry is a national emergency. Oil production is down to about 1.4million barrels per day and declining and this includes about 600,000BOPD from the deep-water.
“Domestic gas production has stagnated at about 1.2billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day over the past five years at a time when projected production should have been 3.5Bcf per day. The collateral impact of course, is the low level of power generation which itself has stagnated at about 4,000megawatts per day since 2015.”
Avuru added that the full impact of the current oil production level can only be imagined when oil prices return to the $60 per barrel level.
“I dare repeat that the situation has to be treated as a national emergency,” he said.
“Between the upstream regulator (the commission) and NNPC, they need to set up a ‘war room’, some form of an effective task force to develop a blueprint for returning the industry to full bloom. The responses we hear today to the myriad of problems outlined above have been ad-hoc, knee jerk and in some cases only self-serving.”
Avuru outlined some issues that must be addressed in the oil and gas sector.
“When IOCs leave a matured petroleum patch, independents, whether local or international, usually move in to inject fresh capital, run a nimble efficient operation and maximize production and reserves addition,” he added.
“A well-organised transition driven by a clear policy direction, from the retreating IOCs to a crop of efficient independents with the requisite resources will have to be implemented.
“Just standing back and intervening by pre-emptive acquisitions cannot be a sustainable solution proffered by NNPC.
“There has to be a deliberate policy-driven return to the traditional onshore/shallow water terrains. 80percent of our remaining reserves are still in this belt.
“To do this, we have to address the twin problems of reliable pipeline evacuation and community restiveness. These problems have become heightened, not because there is no solution, but because we have abandoned every attention to them in the last 15 years.
“When these two problems are tackled, plus a strict application of the ‘drill or drop’ provisions of the new PIA, huge investments in drilling and facilities revamp will flow again into this terrain.
“Finally, we have to match our gas slogans with effective, measurable, policy actions to drive investments in domestic gas supply. The current flip-flops on pricing and commercial structure of the gas business cannot stimulate investments in the sector.
“This industry will not wake up by God’s miracle. We have to wake up and design the stimulant that will revitalise it.”
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had said the country loses more than 115,000 barrels per day to oil theft and vandalism.
Oil producers in Nigeria lamented oil thieves are raking in ‘petrodollars’ while Nigeria is bedevilled by low production.
In February, Nigeria’s oil production had dropped to an average of 1.25million barrels per day (bpd) from 1.39million the previous month.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.