FG to Fight Corruption in the Petroluem Industry with 1 Billion Dollars

President Goodluck Jonathan on
Sunday said the Federal Government
had set aside $1bn to implement a
comprehensive programme aimed at
checking the menace of crude oil theft,
vandalism of oil and gas infrastructure
and prosecution of oil thieves.
A statement by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati,
quoted the President as speaking at The
Hague in separate meetings with the
Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mr.
Mark Rutte; and the Chief Executive
Officer, Shell International, Mr. Ben van
Beurden.
Jonathan is at The Hague to take part in
the 2014 global Nuclear Security
Summit, which opens on Monday (today)
.
The President said a technical committee
had been set up to look into all aspects
of the implementation of the
programme.
This, he explained, would include further
action to enhance the security of
pipelines and other oil industry
infrastructure; resolve community-
related issues; boost youth
empowerment in oil producing areas and
enhance the commitment of oil
companies to the discharge of their
corporate social responsibilities.
Jonathan said the onslaught against oil
theft planned by his administration
would require the maximum cooperation
of the international community,
especially countries like the Netherlands,
which were major stakeholders in the
global oil industry.
"Oil theft is an aspect of global terrorism,
which has become a big industry on its
own. It has become a major threat to the
Nigerian economy and we need to work
with all stakeholders to curb it. The
thieves must be traced, apprehended
and prosecuted," the statement quoted
the President as saying.
The Dutch Prime Minister was quoted to
have assured the President of the
commitment of the Netherlands to
concerted action against crude oil theft
and global terrorism.
Rutte, who remarked that Jonathan's
visit affirmed the strong ties between
Nigeria and the Netherlands, also
assured the President of the willingness
of his country to collaborate more with
Nigeria on environmental and security
issues, particularly in the Niger Delta.
He praised Nigeria's leadership role in
promoting regional security in West
Africa, and welcomed the signing of an
agreement on immigration between both
countries as well as the strong trade
relations between them.
"The President's visit is an open
testimony of the strong ties between
Nigeria and Netherlands. Nigeria is
Netherlands' main trading partner in
Africa and the Netherlands is the second
biggest European investor in Nigeria,"
the Prime Minister reportedly said.
Culled from punch

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