The Federal Government, yesterday, said it will cost about N160 trillion ($1 trillion) to restore the environment in the Niger Delta, following the devastation brought upon the region by crude theft, illegal bunkering and oil exploration activities. Speaking at a conference on Oil Theft and Illegal Bunkering in the Niger Delta, in Lagos, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, said oil theft had attained a worrisome dimension and had become a problem of urgent and strategic national importance.

He said that while several estimates have been made regarding the cost to the national economy in lost revenue and pipeline repair, no one had calculated the cost to the environment and the livelihood of the people of the Niger Delta. Kuku said: “Its impact on the communities of the Niger Delta, on our environment, our health and our livelihood is even more serious. “In many communities, fishing and farming are no longer possible because of the damage to the environment on which our people depend for their livelihood. “No one has calculated the cost of restoring the environment.

But extrapolating from the cost of restoring aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico, following the BP Gulf Coast spill of 2010, the cost to the Niger Delta will amount to more than $1 trillion.” Perpetrators feared He added that the incidence of illegal oil activities was attaining a dangerous trend and was already undermining social structures, noting that if allowed to fester, it could turn the Niger Delta into a gang land, as perpetrators of the crimes are feared, revered and commended in some communities. Kuku said: “Like most illegal economic activities, it hardly takes time before arms, drugs, gangs and other anti-social activities become part of the deadly mix. “I am not sure we are there yet. But if we, the community leaders of the Niger Delta, and governments at all levels do not act decisively, we will unfortunately get there soon.”

‘Oil companies are involved’
Speakers at the conference organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, also accused oil companies operating in the region of collusion. According to them, the government, through the Joint Task Force, JTF, cannot cover all the pipelines in Nigeria. They said that it was the responsibility of the oil companies to monitor their facilities with advanced information communication and technology equipment. Elder Timi Ogoriba, a prominent Niger Delta activist, said it was time perpetrators of crude theft and illegal bunkering were identified and brought to book, adding that this will help address the issue.

Also speaking, Mr. Patrick Akpobulokemi, Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, branded some of the oil majors as hypocrites, displaying double standards in their operations in Nigeria. He said the problems in the Niger Delta were as a result of greed and insincerity on the part of the oil companies and other stakeholders. He said the oil majors were made to be responsible in their home countries and in other countries where they operate. On Bonga spill Akpobulokemi, citing an incidence, said: “There was an oil spill in Bonga and Shell was fingered for the spill since the ruptured pipeline belongs to it. “Instead of accepting the responsibility for the spill, Shell resorted to arguments and denials, saying the spill was caused by a third party and not its fault. “These can not happen elsewhere. In the West, BP has been barred from oil contracts in the United States, following the spill in the Gulf of Mexico. These things can only happen in Nigeria.”

Similarly, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, also accused oil companies of thievery, saying that the larger incidents of crude theft take place at the various export loading terminals in the country. He said: “What you see in the creeks is child’s play compared to what happens at the terminals. The biggest crude theft takes place at the export loading terminals. “Nigeria is the only country where vessels load with plus five percent, and this should not be.” He said the oil companies must redefine their processes and also adopt practices and measures that will put a stop to the menace. ‘Evils of oil’ Speaking further, Akpobulokemi, noted that but for the efforts of Mr. President, he would have concluded that oil was a curse to Nigeria. He argued that oil discovery had brought about mental laziness, numerous environmental and health problems as well as societal ills. He said: “Oil is the cause of numerous problems in this country. It is the reason people are engaged in underage marriage; it is the reason for the numerous politicking; the talk about zoning is because of oil; in some local governments, things are not done as they should be done.
http://sutbeattalks..com/2013/08/oil-activities-cause-n160trn.html

that's more reason why our brother must be president till 2019 we can't be suffering for other people to be chopping

Tell that to the marines abeg! After the retardeen leaves and he does nothing, the 160 Tr will be small to the damages you will experience. You cannot eat your cake and have it!

Sloan: Tell that to the marines abeg! After the retardeen leaves and he does nothing, the 160 Tr will be small to the damages you will experience. You cannot eat your cake and have it!

So what's your point?

Lol @ d nigguh blamin oil for underage marriage!!


The nigerian govt will do nothing meaninful on dis issue of environmental deterioration...#trust_me

Sloan: Tell that to the marines abeg! After the retardeen leaves and he does nothing, the 160 Tr will be small to the damages you will experience. You cannot eat your cake and have it!

senseless :....pun intended!!

elrony:

senseless :....pun intended!!

don't mind him, his conscience has been seared with hot iron that guy is dead spiritually and emotionally he is dead to reason

Figures and more figures... Mtcheeeeew....
#Team blaming GEJ

people who have oil are suffering foreigners are looting the proceeds smh for dis useless country

Sloan: Tell that to the marines abeg! After the retardeen leaves and he does nothing, the 160 Tr will be small to the damages you will experience. You cannot eat your cake and have it!

seems like you mis-spelt your moniker during registration, something is telling me that it's supposed to be 'SlowAndrew'

If them pour that money for atlantic ocean, space no go remain

Na lie

homesteady: that's more reason why our brother must be president till 2019 we can't be suffering for other people to be chopping

fool what has dat your brother done to alleviate ur suffering ewu

homesteady: that's more reason why our brother must be president till 2019 we can't be suffering for other people to be chopping

for this comment, I'll vote you after GEJ.

Amazing! Wetin pesin no go hear?

One hundred and sixty thrillions!! Abeg let Jesus come nd let this world jxt end

Yungwizzzy:

fool what has dat your brother done to alleviate ur suffering ewu

I don't know why people like generalizing senselesly







Because you hardly make 2square meal a day, you think everybody suffers like you?






An Advice.
Stop being Lazy!

Yungwizzzy:

fool what has dat your brother done to alleviate ur suffering ewu

What did your yoruba brother do to alleviate our suffering?? He just ate our money and ran away!
Jonathan is bringing fresh air to our region!

homesteady: that's more reason why our brother must be president till 2019 we can't be s
uffering for other people to be chopping

Kai!who b ur brother if dem draw Gej draw ur brothers u no go knw no d'deceive ursef ooo......Gej no knw u from Adams oo so no d'claim brotherhood

What is the exeptional thing Jonathan have done for ND?

Kuku is just trying to introduce a new slogan since I Had No Shoe, is a verified scam.

nt hapi wid dis countri@al

Lessons:
You can't have your cake and eat it.
Life is give and take

That is my bishop

Instead of spending that bogus amount rehabilitating fishery,we'd simply better evacuate the people to somewhere safer near Otta and allow full capacity oi exploitation.

Bcoz under those mansions they live in,there are significant barrel waiting to be drilled

But extrapolating from the cost of restoring aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico, following the BP Gulf Coast spill of 2010, the cost to the Niger Delta will amount to more than $1 trillion.”

What manner of "extrapolation"? I even thought that some scientific analysis was used to arrive at that sum.

Meanwhile, the UN report released in 2011 says that $1billion would be required for the cleanup.

1billion, or 1trillion? Who's lying?

With this kind of amount, it is safe to say that there is virtually no hope for the restoration of the Niger Delta.
Activists like MEND, Asari Dokubo, Tompolo etc who rose up on the basis of this injustice have been silenced by the money doled out to them by the FG, betraying the very people and land they swore to fight for.
The Niger Deltans should just go and lick their wounds.

Lordave: seems like you mis-spelt your moniker during registration, something is telling me that it's supposed to be 'SlowAndrew'

No it's not "slowAndrew" but 'SlowAnus'

Aggrippa:
don't mind him, his conscience has been seared with hot iron that guy is dead spiritually and emotionally he is dead to reason

Dat nigguh is Slowly retàrded!!!

With that money they can get another country for themselves.

Say what?! 1 trillion dollars!! *faints*