From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives has stressed the need for sustained security around oil facilities in the oil producing communities in the country.
The House said the country will have no reason for borrowing once off-shore oil facilities are secured. It expressed delight over partnership between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited and some private concerns, which has led to the reduction in oil theft.
The deputy House leader, Peter Akpatason, stated this when he led some lawmakers on an oversight visit to the creeks and riverine areas of Delta State. Akpatason, while acknowledging that the Pipeline Surveillance contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Limited, has led to increase in crude oil production, thanked the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies for their role in securing the oil facilities.
Nevertheless, the lawmaker admonished stakeholders against destruction of boats and other seized items from vandals, noting that the confiscated items should be integrated into the government assets.
“Our mission is to evaluate the situation and also to be able to make contribution in legislative terms, towards ameliorating the situation and in this case the Niger Delta in particular; towards enhancing the capacity of this nation to produce and sell oil. To be able to fund the budget and to promote development of both human capital and infrastructure of this country.
“In the course of this journey, we have visited different sites, including oil production facilities, pipelines, well-heads and flow stations. As a result of the recent partnership between Tantita, your company and NNPC we have seen significant improvement in the ability of this country to produce hydrocarbon which basically is the major foreign earning for this country.
“As concerned citizens, we believe whatever that can be done to ensure improvement in the nation’s capacity to earn income for funding development, and reducing borrowing which has become a thing of concerns to many Nigerians, that effort must be supported”.
“There is still more to be done. If we can achieve currently what we are experiencing in this area, also in the offshore, Nigeria will have no reason to borrow money to fund budget and to borrow money to fund projects that we need as a nation.,” Akpatason stated.
The chairman, Tantita Security Service Nigeria Limited, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, briefed the lawmakers on ongoing efforts to secure oil facilities in Niger Delta, as well as ensure harmony within the oil producing communities. Ekpemupolo urged the lawmakers to come up with necessary legislative interventions that will sustain the gains recorded so far in the area
