The
Federal Government yesterday described oil theft as terrorism, saying
foreigners were behind it.
Minister
of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke alleged that the theft of
Nigeria’s crude oil is in connivance with some syndicates outside Africa,
adding that the crime robs the economy and dissuades investors.
The
minister spoke in London, according to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) spokesman Tumini Green.
Mrs.
Alison-Madueke was delivering the keynote address at the Powerlist 2014. She
said: “Theft of this magnitude is not only highly technical, but it is also an
international-level crime. It is aided and abetted by syndicates outside of
Africa who are the patrons and merchant-partners of the oil thieves. This crime
against Nigeria must be resisted, as we simultaneously deploy in-country
resources to fight this menace,’’ she said.
The
Minister urged the global community to advocate strongly against crude oil
theft.
She
said: “It perpetuates criminality, defrauds economies and discourages
investment. This is a crime that threatens not only Nigeria’s oil and gas
sector, but also threatens the security of the Gulf of Guinea and, by
extension, threatens the global economic order.”
The
minister said the grave phenomenon of oil theft and its global support system
represent another face of terrorism, which has continued to remain a spoke the
wheel of the nation’s high economic growth trajectory.”
In the
paper titled: “The strengths and obligations of the African Diaspora”, the
Petroleum Minister explained that the ugly episode of oil theft has continued
to thwart efforts at sustained economic growth because the effect of the oil
theft scourge reverberates across the entire spectrum of the Nigerian economy.
“The
grave phenomenon of oil theft and its global support system represents another
face of terrorism counteracting our efforts at sustaining the trajectory of our
high-growth economy, the stability of our society, and the enhancement and
wellbeing of our people,’’ Mrs. Alison-Madueke said.
She
said efforts at combating the menace locally is made more complicated because
of the international slant of the crime.
Despite
the scourge of crude theft, Mrs. Alison-Madueke said Nigeria’s oil and gas
industry had been placed on the path of growth and irreversible progress.
“The
Nigerian Content Act, signed into law in 2010 by President Jonathan, vigorously
advocates for indigenous participation, job creation and in-country capacity
development and has nurtured leading edge indigenous companies capable of
competing with the traditional multinationals. The very topical Petroleum
Industry Bill (PIB) is a historic piece of legislation designed to effect
extensive and much needed legal, regulatory, financial and environmental reform
to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry,’’ she said.
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