The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has implored stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to create an enabling environment for the sector.
The minister, who spoke at a Town-Hall Meeting on the protection of oil and gas infrastructure in the country, organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in Abuja noted that the destruction of oil and gas facilities by vandals has impacted negatively on the region.
He said the meeting complements efforts of the ministry to curb destructions of oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta region.
“This is a very eventful gathering towards ensuring our country’s social-economic survival and it is timely.
“And for us stakeholders, it is a rare opportunity to dialogue and deliberate on core issues that affect the overall interest of Nigeria.
He noted that the Niger Delta region has an estimated population of about 31 million people as of 2005, which accounts for about 23 per cent of Nigeria’s total population.
“The population density in the Niger Delta region is among the highest in the world with about 265 people per square kilometre, according to NDDC data in 2008,” he said
Akpabio said a report had it that about 16,000 young people aged between 1 and 15 years die annually as a direct result of pollution experienced in the region.
He maintained that the loss will hamper the economic and manpower productivity of the nation in future as future leaders are being exterminated.
He said the region has witnessed an alarming rate of youth agitations to the government, asking multinational oil and gas exploration companies in the region to pay more attention to the development of the area.
Akpabio said the advent, activities of several militant groups and ethnic nationals has brought a negative impact on the lives of people living within the region and the nation at large.
He also noted that the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs by the Federal Government is to forestall such situations, agitations, formulating and implementing policies for the development of the region.
The minister revealed that several engagements had been held with the community leaders and other stakeholders in the region since its inception aimed at bringing peace and progress to the region.
Speaking further, Akpabio revealed that international oil companies (IOCs) may be discouraged from remitting what is due to host communities because of corruption as many of the funds remitted in the past appear unaccounted for.
“The IOCs must have been discouraged by the way the funds made available were used by NDDC. You cannot point to any substantial development in any of the nine states, in spite of the money that has so far gone into the NDDC,”
“So, I thank the president for trying to find out how much has gone into the NDDC and how much has been judiciously spent.
“The reality is that corruption is the major problem of Nigeria. Even when the first prime minister took over from the British government, the British drew as part of their report that the greatest problem facing Nigeria in 1960 was corruption.
“With corruption, no matter the amount we put for the oil communities, we might end up with communal clashes.”
The minister disclosed that the IOCs owe the Niger Delta about $4.2 billion, urging the national assembly to look into the matter as he said that there are no sanctions for non-payment of the three per cent.
