Aieto and Nig. Agip (now Oando) Oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria have called on the House of Representatives to address oil theft and pipeline vandalisation.
They made the call at the continued Investigative Hearing on oil theft and pipeline vandalism and its effects on the environment in oil producing states in Abuja.
The two companies appeared before the House Committee on Environment called for the need to ameliorate the hazard and economic sabotage in the sector.
The Hearing held as the house received a lot of petitions from the host communities where Aieto and Nig. Agip (now Oando) Oil company’s operations have had negative results on the environment.
Both companies agreed on the need for the House of Representatives to through legislative intervention provide measures that will deter such acts inimical to the economic wellbeing and eco system of the nation.
Oando speaking through its Team Lead, Mr. Philip Akuduro attributed a high percentage of oil spillage and it’s resultant effects on the host community to the increasing appetite of the host communities to steal crude from the pipelines through illegal connections and damage to oil installations.
“Data by Oando on Burutu in Southern Ijaw revealed that virtually over 90% of oil theft and pipeline vandalism were perpetrated by members of the host communities communities, whose increasing penance and capacity to steal from the common well knows no bounds.
“Host communities are individually and collectively sabotaging efforts of oil coys to minimize incidences of spillages in their area. Our operations covering largely onshore and marshy area are easily accessable to vandals whose activities result in spillage and polution of the environment as oil spills are swiftly spread by the strong under water Current.”
Aieto on its part noted the importance of a cordial working relationship between oil companies and their host communities, but noted that when vested interests starts to creep in, then interest starts to clash.
Its Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Ewarezi Useh, attributed such clashes of interests for reasons why production fell drastically to 700,000 bpd in 2018 before it started picking up through combined security activities by stakeholders.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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