Pipeline vandalism contributes to environmental challenges not only economic setback but also – Buhari

Abiodun OBA |

President Muhammadu Buhari has averred that vandalism was not only an economic setback but also contributed in some way to environmental challenges in the region.

The president made this known while meeting with monarchs from the South-South at the State House in Abuja over Niger Delta security, economic development, infrastructure, environment and oil sector matters.

Buhari seized the opportunity to seek help from the royal fathers in ending the destruction of oil facilities by vandals.

The royal fathers, under the aegis of the South-South Monarchs Forum, were led by the Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom, King Edmund Daukoru Mingi XII.

Buhari said, ‘‘You need to educate the people that the destruction of installations is hurting the majority of the people.

‘‘If pipelines are blown and the waters are polluted, it affects both the fishermen and farmers. Even the fishes in the sea are affected.

“These people who blow up the installations are hurting the people more than they are hurting the government.”

He addressed a question raised by the group on “10 per cent equity participation for host communities in solid minerals and whether the same is applicable to the oil sector.”

Buhari said, “The constitution is very mindful of the way resources are shared. The 13 per cent derivation means that relative to whatever you are producing, 13 per cent is given to your states.

‘‘Then, whatever is offshore in the continental shelf belongs to the nation. Again, your states get their own shares. This means your constituencies get two shares, the 13 per cent derivation and the balance in the continental shelf, which is shared among the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.

‘‘If the 13 per cent or what is in the continental shelf is not getting to you then I think by now you ought to have known because you have qualitative leaders with great antecedents.

‘‘For example, when I was a junior officer, one of the royal fathers here was the governor of a state.

‘‘Everybody knows him and he has continuously been in the limelight of the politics of the country, and if the Federal Government is cheating you by denying you part of the 13 per cent derivation or the balance from the continental shelf, you as the leadership ought to have seen it by now and brought it out.’’

The President also called for the cooperation of the monarchs to stop kidnappings in the zone.

Daukoru, who spoke on behalf of the monarchs, specifically asked for more government intervention in the development of the region.

He said, ‘‘Mr President, we think it is time to hold operators accountable for their lack of transparency in community development programmes.”

A statement by Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, quoted Daukoru as accusing the oil operators of ‘‘polarising communities and by-passing traditional authority by pandering to the interest of bully boys and their local militia.’’