Move Ogoni Clean Up from Drawing Board to reality. NNPC, Others Ordered

By Abiodun Oba I

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other oil companies have been directed to move the Ogoni community clean up from the drawing board to actual reality without further delay.

This was revealed on Wednesday by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, in the first part of an 8-Part Series Podcast that focuses on the Niger Delta and security.

He declared that the President is committed to the success of the Ogoni clean up, noting that his Ministry was working with the Ministry of Environment to ensure the success of the exercise.

“The president is completely committed to the success of this. And we are working with the Ministry of Environment to continue the Ogoni clean up,” he stated.

“The President has just directed that funds necessary for this must be released within a very short period of time so that this Ogoni clean up can actually move from the drawing board to actual practical reality.

“In fact, both the oil companies and NNPC are to fund this sufficiently for us to move forward.”

Kachikwu added that the Ministry has commenced a Programme to engage Ogoni in order to secure the community buy-in and participation when there is any problem.

The Minister said that government is currently working on a framework for a community based participation in oil and gas pipelines and oil and gas assets.

“If we succeed in doing that, for the first time, what we are going to have is a complete blueprint, complete local engagement, complete intervention and supervision of the Niger Delta Development module. And that is something that can be sustained for posterity,” he continued.

Meanwhile, two modular refineries in the Niger Delta will commence operations in the next one year, the Federal Government announced on Wednesday.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, who made the disclosure said, “We came up with the concept of what to do with the illegal refining that was going on in the region and we developed the modular refinery concept. To date, we’ve targeted development and have approved 10 of those; two are basically on land and are under construction, and hopefully within the next one year, we will be able to deliver real results. We are also pushing for the other eight”.

He stated that his team had visited the two modular refineries that were on ground, adding that “the additional eight are basically getting ready for completion and financing.”

Ike Kachikwu stated that following several attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta for a period of about 10 months, crude oil production dropped to as low as 800,000 barrels per day when the current administration came on board.

Kachikwu, however, noted that after series of engagements with leaders and different groups in the region, militants in the Niger Delta observed series of ceasefires, a development that led to the rise in crude oil production to about 2.2 million bpd.

The minister also stated that inter-agency researches had shown that over $40bn had gone into the Niger Delta in a period of 15 years without commensurate development in the area.

In a bid to develop capacities in the Niger Delta and ensure the adequate use of funds invested in the region, the minister said the Federal Government had to set up state technical committees in three states of the region.

Kachikwu stated, “I have gone ahead to set up state technical committees. And the whole idea is to look at what oil is produced in a state, what volumes are available, what opportunities for economic empowerment are there and what are the burning issues in those areas.

“These technical committees have been launched in three states, Edo, Delta and Imo, and we are looking to complete that whole process.”