Olusola Bello
A growing wave of kidnappings and attacks on oil workers in Nigeria is sapping the long-term production prospects of Africa’s largest producers, S&P Platts reports.
– The Assa North gas project developed by Royal Dutch Shell in the oil-rich Imo State remains shut-in after a mid-month attack that saw seven killed, a testament to the operational problems that oil companies face.
– Whilst Platts estimates Nigeria’s crude and condensate production capacity to be within the 2.2-2.3mbpd bandwidth, its supply has been capped at around 1.7mbpd throughout this year.
– Nigeria’s oil workers union Pengassan stated that recurring attacks in oil hubs like Port Harcourt and Warri render the government’s ambitious tasks of reducing operational costs almost impossible.
According to the association, while it is acknowledging the gallant efforts the nation’s courageous soldiers and security personnel who sometimes pay the ultimate sacrifice in a bid to keep the rest of the country safe, they believe that much more can be done especially in the provision of adequate equipment and boosting of the morale of the officers by significantly improving their welfare.
The association in a letter signed by comrade comrade Lumumba Okugbawa, general secretary, and Comrade Festus Osifo, said the harmful effects of kidnappings, killings and assassinations have directly impacted PENGASSAN as an Association as the lives of it members and the public have been put in danger.
“Because of this they have therefore, chosen this means to join millions of Nigerians to demand that you deploy the powers vested on you by the Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria to immediately put an end to the myriad of senseless and unprovoked killings of our brothers and sisters under whatever guise.”
“As a responsible Association whose activities are vital for the economic development of our dear Country, we cannot sit back and watch miscreants masquerading under the togas of ethnic militias, regional or religious armies destroy the only Country we can proudly call our own. We pledge our readiness to partner with you in your continued efforts to improve the security and general welfare of the Nigerian citizens.”
“Your Excellency, arising from an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting where we painstakingly discussed the dire security situation in our dear Country; we hereby highlight some of the cogent recurrent security breaches and proffer solutions to this hydra-headed monster.”
The association said it is specifically worried about the increasing attacks by bandits and other criminal elements on Institutions in the Zones where majority of it members live and work i.e., Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.
“Recently States under Port Harcourt and Kaduna Zones were on the front burner with news of security threats, attacks, and killings. We must unequivocally restate the importance of these Zones to the economic development and industrial peace of the Nation and therefore must be protected at all costs.”
“Your Excellency, kindly treat this communication arising out of our NEC deliberations with utmost importance because as leaders in this important sector, we are finding it increasingly difficult to put our members in check as their restiveness regarding the growth and rise of insecurity across the country is getting out of control. Consequently, your fatherly disposition to the issues raised hereunder will go a long way to allay their fears and reassure them that their concerns are being handled at the highest level of Governance.”
It pledged it readiness and commitment to support the administration of the president to reposition all vital sectors in your quest to bequeath a better Country to the upcoming generation.
“PENGASSAN have observed with total dismay the bloodbath currently ongoing in Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger and Plateau states without any meaningful solutions in sight or significant Federal Government interventions. The Kaduna carnages is more worrisome given the fact that there are an array of military and para-military institutions scattered all over its nooks and crannies. Educational institutions in the State are also enmeshed in the murky water of the unending security threats in the land. Armed gangs have repeatedly struck some schools and universities, abducting more than 700 students.”
On account of these happening, it therefore demanded that a declaration of state of emergency and a total overhaul of all the security apparatus within the states of Kaduna and Plateau to wipe out all criminal elements especially in Southern Kaduna. We also demand that the States should be empowered with a special Police Force that will enable them take charge of security issues in their domain as the era of centralized policing is outdated. The States should be empowered to take charge of their security.