₦airaland Forum

@Expat

Who prints this "yellow card"? Please, educate me!

WHEN Vanguard visited Koluama I, Koluama 2, Temazau, Ebidouama and other communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, which were affected by the January 16, 2012 explosion of a gas rig, K.S Endeavour (Panama), near the North Apoi platform/field, west of the Funiwa field, on Wednesday, February 22, it was observed that neither the Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, operator of the rig nor the Federal Government, had undoubtedly evaluated the environmental, health and economic implications of the disaster on the people.

Though, the gas wellhead was still burning on February 22 when our reporters visited, that is 37 days after the explosion, the fire had considerably ebbed due to the well drilled by CNL to eat away the combustion.

Inspection of conflagration

From Olobia, a sub-community under Koluama II, about five nautical miles from the blazing rig, Vanguard was taken to the tip of the Atlantic Ocean by the vice chairman of Koluama II Council of Chiefs, Chief G. Ekuere-Goli and other leaders, where reporters inspected the conflagration.

For the workers of Fode Drilling Limited, a company contracted by CNL to drill gas at the location, approximately 10 kilometres, off the coast of Nigeria, it is nothing short of a miracle for any of them that survived the massive gas fire. Two of the workers, however, died in the explosion and their remains had not been found.

Rev. Oromo, Pastor of Church of God Mission, Kolu-ama I.

The chairman, Koluama I, Council of Chiefs, Chief Christian Mungha Bofa-Akpele told Vanguard that the West-African country of Gabon is very close and oftentimes, Koluama indigenes travel to Gabon to do business because Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State is farther from them.

Giving a brief history of the North Apoi and Funiwa oil fields, the traditional ruler of Koluama I, HRH N.E. Ogboin-Mienye said, “It is interesting to note that the first off-shore oil well in this area was struck within the same location, OPL 247, of the explosion by American Overseas Petroleum Limited, AMOSEAS, in 1963. This discovery was reported by the West African Pilot Newspaper of Saturday, September 21, 1963.

An operational licence on OPL 247 was originally granted to Texaco Overseas (Nigeria) Petroleum Company by the Federal Government of Nigeria on April 1, 1975 for the period of 20 years at the relevant Deeds Registry, where it was registered at the time”.

“This initial licence was for the purpose of constructing, maintaining and operating an oil pipeline and approved ancillary installations. This licence expired sometime in 1995 and has since been renewed. However, we do not have copies of the renewed lease for this licence”, he said, demanding that the copies of the renewed licence, which was transferred to Chevron Nigeria Limited after the merger of the two companies in the recent past was not made available to the community”, he asserted.“

Communities express anger over Petroleum Minister’s hasty visit

However, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, visited Koluama II last month. She pledged the commitment of the Federal Government to provide lasting solution to the incidents of environmental pollution caused by exploration and production of oil and gas, especially in the Niger Delta region of the country.

But vice chairman of Koluama 2 Council of Chiefs, Chief Ekuere-Goli told Vanguard that the minister was in a hurry when she visited and did not even have time to undertake a tour of the community to see the impact of the explosion on the people.

Chief Bofa-Akpele was incensed that the minister did not bother to come to the community when Vanguard arrived at Koluama I.

A government source, however, said the Minister made an over-fly of eight host communities, spread across Southern Ijaw and Brass Local Government Areas, namely, Koluama 1, Koluma 11, Ekeni, Foropa, Fishtown, Ezetu 1, Ezetu 11 and Sanga.

Mrs. Alison-Madueke stated the readiness of the Petroleum Ministry to galvanise the International Oil Companies, IOCs, as well as the host communities, to ensure that the operating environment is made safe for all concerned in line with international best practice.

Popoola Oluwatosin, Youth Corps Member.

In her words: “We have done the aerial survey, we have seen, and also heard from the community leaders and youths; the next thing is to report back to the President and within the next one week to provide response to the community leaders”.

Jonathan gives marching orders on relief materials

President Jonathan came himself, Monday, February 27; five days after Vanguard visited the community. He promised to ensure that relief materials and other needs were sent to the people of Koluama community.

Like his minister earlier did, he reiterated the commitment of his administration to environmental management, promising to ensure that erosion and desertification would be checked from the Niger Delta to the Northern parts of the country.

The president also noted that the Federal Government has agencies that will ensure that relief materials were sent to Koluama people and called on the oil companies to follow suit. He promised the communities that the Nigeria Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, will facilitate deployment of more relief materials to them.

He commended them for showing restraint, tact and discipline in the way and manner they have channeled their grievances and assured that government would do its best to address their complaints.

President Jonathan also enjoined Chevron to provide more relief materials and other sundry relief items to the people. He urged oil companies operating in the country to undertake training of personnel, especially residents of communities within their operational base as part of its compensation and corporate responsibility to the people.

President Jonathan was accompanied to Koluama by Bayelsa State Governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, Ministers of Petroleum, Deziani Allison-Madueke, Environment, Hadiza Malaifia and Niger-Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe.

Oil companies should preserve ecological system — Dickson

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson said the state has been exposed to risk due to activities of oil companies operating within its communities and asked that the companies learn to respect their environment in order to ensure the preservation of the nation’s ecological system.

He further disclosed that his administration has set up legal and technical committees to harmonise assessment reports conducted.

Speaking on behalf of the communities, former Bayelsa State House of Assembly member, Honorable Ayaowei listed problems facing the people resulting from the gas explosion to include inability to continue with their fishing businesses, lack of portable drinking water, medical care and electricity, as well as lack of access roads to link the communities.

Chevron Managing Director, Andrew Fawthrop while regretting the incident, promised that the company will commence community and medical development works in the communities soon.

Our real fear — Koluama communities

The real distress of the people, which is the fear that the colossal blast that rocked the underpinnings of their homes could lead to their communities being washed away, has not been apprehended by government and the oil company.

In the words of His Royal Highness, N.E. Ogboin-Mienye, the Amananawei of Koluama II: “The massive explosions shook the foundations of houses in the community, Olobia, Foniweiama, Kiriseigha, Kulaiama, Tikpama, Abikeiwei, etc in Koluama clan.

Mumghamba Akpele

The story that re-echoed in all the communities of Koluama, which Vanguard visited was the Shell D’ Archy explosion in 1953 during the course of seismic activities for oil and gas in the area. They said the ancient Koluama was wiped out as a result of that incident.

According to a community leader, “Koluama used to be one large clan before but because of the 1953 explosion, the clan went under water and that brought about separation of the different communities under it.

Besides the 1953 explosion, there was also a Funiwa (well 5) blow out on January 17, 1980. The Amananawei of Koluama II said, “It is very sad to mention that we suffered the same, if not a worst fate during the incident. The government and Texaco, which was operating the Funiwa oil field as at then, responded very late.

So, the entire Koluama clan is gripped with mortal fear of being wiped away as a result of the January 16 explosion, this time, a case of massive rig fire from Chevron, which took over from Texaco.

Day of incident in Koluama I — Chief Bofa-Akpele, Koluama II

There was a heavy rainfall on February 22, which caught up with the Vanguard team around Igbomotoru I. We had taken off at 8.30 am on that day from Swali market waterside and got to Koluama in the afternoon.

We were received by the community chairman, Chief Bofa-Akpele, who narrated that the people were jolted from their sleep between 4.00 am and 5.00 am by a loud explosion that shook their buildings in the community and neighbouring towns.

“We were frightened, many of us panicked, everybody ran helter-skelter, not knowing the cause of what happened. Later, we found out that it was a massive fire from the rig of our tenant, CNL, at where the company is working in North Apoi platform. As I speak to you now, the fire is still burning.

Our woes

“And since that day, we have been having many problems. We are fishermen; our livelihood is threatened as a result of this explosion. We don’t see fish to kill any more; dead fishes are floating here and there on Koluama River. Our river empties in the Atlantic Ocean; you don’t fish in our river.

“Many of us have got strange sickness since the gas fire, some have lost their lives and there is no medical team, no treatment of any sort anywhere by Chevron, we are grounded.

“Some people who manage to catch fish at all are afraid to eat them because it is poisonous to us since over a month that our river was poisoned”, he asserted.

Chief Bofa-Akpele explained, “Koluama is a kingdom made up of many communities before the 1953 seismic operation in which dynamites that were used by an oil company washed the ancient Koluama. Where they call offshore now is where we use to have the ancient Koluama”.

“You can see our community, there is nothing to write home about, the Federal Government takes 40 per cent and the oil company takes 40 per cent, leaving us with nothing”, he said.

A community source who shed light on the 1953 tragedy said, “The estuary you see there is what was left of the ancient Koluama, it was washed away, it used to be one community, but now, you hear Koluama I and Koluama II. The little land there is less than 25 metres and that is our fear, the sea is encroaching on us because of seismic activities and our fear is that very soon, our villages will be washed away”.

“We have embarkment done by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The cottage hospital in the community was built by Texaco-Chevron, but it is not equipped, no staff and it is not functioning”, he added.

On the health challenges since the explosion, he said, “As at now, the air we are breathing now is choking, it is different, we know what we are feeling, we have been asking Chevron to come with medical assistance but they have not come, they only brought us small food to share.

Chief Bofa-Akpele gave the names of the two persons that died as a result of ailments purportedly connected to the explosion as Mrs. Napoleon and Madam F. Olale.

As at the day we visited, more than a month after the tragedy, he said, “Only few bags of rice, 50 kg bags of garri, few cartons of ice fish and chicken were brought to us as relief materials. At the moment, we want Chevron and government to bring us enough relief materials to sustain us, not what will not be enough for us to use as taste”.

Social amenities in Koluama 2

“We have been having it very rough”, he recounted, pointing out that in Koluama II, “Chevron provided us a generator plant before now but we don’t have money to buy diesel to power it and we don’t have water to drink. We get water to drink from dug up wells. We have a primary and secondary school that are not well furnished, no laboratories and no teachers’ quarters for the few teachers.

“Teachers are like luxury items here because they prefer to stay in urban areas where there is amenities of life than in a place where there is no light, no water and from Yenagoa to this place is about a three-hour journey”, he said.

Do women deliver in the hospital since it is not equipped? He said, “God is the One that is saving us, we have our local way of delivery and if you want to go to Yenagoa, somebody can even die before he gets there. Last year, there was a case in which one of my relations got burnt in a kerosene explosion, she died on the way and we had to bring her back for burial”.

On staffing of the cottage hospital, he quipped, “We only have a health officer there”.

Why we stormed Chevron office

The health officer, Mrs. Edi Epowoitei, who is the wife of the clan head told Vanguard, “Since the explosion occurred, we have not been able to do anything and because the Atlantic Ocean water flow into our river, we are now redundant, sitting down at home with no work, you know our occupation is fishing”.

“What they brought to us since the incident in January are some bags of rice, garri and few other things only. That was why we went to protest against Chevron in Warri. Our plan is that since they have stopped our means of livelihood, they should take the responsibility of feeding us.

“Now, ailments such as pneumonia, vomiting, stomach pains, acute asthma are prevalent in the community as a result of the polluted air. We can’t eat fish from our river any more. We now send people to Yenagoa to buy ice fish for us to cook, can you imagine, we that are fishermen and women. Fire is still burning in the place, they are yet to put it off, the emissions are affecting our breathing.

“About four or five days ago, somebody came from Port-Harcourt to this place, he came to build a house, but because of the gaseous emissions in the air, his nose was running blood, before then, we observed that most of our children were having such experience, we don’t know how long these things will continue, we require urgent help, there are radioactive substances everywhere”, she said.

She confirmed that there were no drugs in the health centre, adding, “We have applied for a doctor to be posted to us, but they did not give us doctor”.

Mrs. Epoweitei Edi, wife of clan head, Kolu-ama I.

Mrs. Epowoitei said the women of Koluama II rejected the one plate of garri and one plate of rice each that was shared to them as relief material because it was an insult.



NYSC members lend credence



Two National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members, Ibama Johnson and Joseph and Popoola Oluwatusin, who Vanguard met in Koluama II said the effect of the rig fire was devastating on the people.

According to Ibama, “it is extremely affecting our health here, there is no drinking water, it affected the fishes, and we can’t even drink the rain water because of the fear of the content as a result of the explosion”.

Oluwatunsi, who has been in Koluama II for eight months said, “It is an unfortunate incident, it affected us in many ways. Fishes are dying in the river as a result of the effect of the gas fire, when the deputy governor came here, he saw how people were lying down on the sick bed in the hospital, the doctors that came from a Non Governmental Organisation were even afraid to attend to them, when you breathe in here, you are breathing poisonous gas”.

“We are surviving here for now by trying to avoid some food we suspect will not be good in our system. We avoid cooking soup since then because we don’t want to eat fish from the river here and develop one sickness later. Rather, we eat Indomie”, he said.

NB: The fire was put out on Sunday night

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/chevron-gas-rig-explosion-is-killing-us-koluama-communities/

Na wa for NLC!

But he ran from 9ja to Dubai and fought extradition to UK and , he is not corrupt! Ogidigboigbo, wetin you dey talk sef! No talk too much put yourself for more trouble oh! You are dealing with British people oh, they understand the english language pass you sef! Shine your eyes,

Na wa oh! Ibori again, let's wait and see!

Okija_juju:
Even if Jesus becomes the Head of the EFCC, John the Baptist becomes the head of ICPC and the Holy Spirit becomes the Attorney General/Public Prosecutor, as long as the Nigerian Courts remain what it is today, NO HALF DECENT CROOK WOULD SPEND A NIGHT IN JAIL. . .

Blame the courts not the EFCC. . .

Okija_Juju, more peace will rest on you and in your abode! You have spoken and it is so.

Off all these governors being mentioned by people here on this thread, which one of them was not charged to court; but the lawyers (NBA) and the judges , !

Oh, Resource Control!!!

Bro

ekt_bear:
How many businesses do you know who have electricity just wasting away?

The amount they have in reserve is probably kept in reserve for a good reason, not just Scrooge McDuckiness or something.

Why isn't the government offering to buy the electricity from Chevron, to distribute to the oil communities?

Brother, you need to see the kind of electricity that NLNG generates here! It is simply awesome and then you tell me that they keep the excess for what? I know the plant here, NLNG cannot even survive in this Island, if they don't give light to the community!

But, I dey thank them sha oh! Here we roll big with electricity, to the extent that every tomina, dickina and harrina who leaves in the Island township cooks with electricity. Your kerosene may sell for 250NGN per litre, we roll cool

Thanks to NLNG!

CHEVRON MUST PROVIDE THE LIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY! It is a Presidential Order!     It must be obeyed!

oyb:
precisely, so instead of bragging spend your bloody money on your infrastructure.

is that really too hard for you super rich dunces to understand?

Thanks to NLNG, Shell, Mobil, Julius Berger, DBN and others. They keep doing good things for us. By the way, CHEVRON COMPLY or ,

The way we roll here

oyb:
gej oldos at it again - compensation for an accident equated with proving social amenities?

the ND are their own worst enemies - instead of taking on their greedy govt, they are taking on chevron

Bro, do you live in the Niger Delta? Have you ever been to any of these locations where the actual oil or gas is derived? From the way you sound, you have never been here! So I welcome your comments as an ignorant Nigerian.

By the way, Bonny LG is richer than some states in Nigeria The way we roll here!

Ji_sun_pack:
All said and done, do we really need to "order" them? . . .we should demarcate clearly between business and pleasure.

Personally, I do not believe that the Presidency "ordered" them. I think that Chevron may have been "strongly advised" but trust our press, they will want to colour GEJ bad. NLNG/Bonny story began far back before GEJ, did Abacha, OBJ order these companies?

It is obvious that all these "commentators" do not live in any part of the Niger Delta! Come to Bonny Island, all the electricity produced is generated by NLNG and Shell. Here we have constant stable and efficient power supply, all most free. This is a local government area and not just a community. NLNG also provides water. They even provide trucks to carry the water to areas where there are no pipeline borne water.

In addition, to a technical college, first class. They are almost taking over the General Hospital here by their provision of doctors and nurses. They provide free boat services to Port Harcourt every day and many more. Roads sef, dem dey construct, many things sef!

NLNG, Shell, Mobil, una do well! Make una do more.

So Chevron cannot run away, let them provide the light. Nobody is asking them to increase capacity, give the extra to the people. By the way, do you peeps know where Escravos is? It is only accessible by water, so when will PHCN or government get there!

Because, we hate anything GEJ, we talk rubbish sometimes, Come and live in these communities and understand what the people go through and stop talking rubbish!

Chevron PROVIDE the LIGHT! That is a Presidential Order!!!! When Obama made BP to pay for damages, why did you not comment, but because it is GEJ, Nigerians who never has been close to any of these communities are talking rubbish!

chamber2:
Okija Juju

Your hypocrisy has gone beyond redemption. You must be convulsive whenever and where ever the name Rochas is being mentioned. How exactly would you hide in the cover of your home and assume those things you enumerated are not currently being done by the governor? Are you smarter than Rochas? How do you think a state can develop ''world class'' institutions without first of all put the fundamentals in place?

The whole idea of education resolves around the learner and the first thing is to ensure that the learner has a better frame of mind to undertake academic pursuit. This the gov has done by ensuring that students, irrespective of their family background, will have enough fund to finance their studies. This is done every where in the world. It is not under the exclusivity of the Imo state government. Most of the educational models being currently articulated by Rochas are derived from those advanced societies you are making reference to. Do you think governance is magic? You just say something and it happens?

Currently, there is massive upgrading of the facilities at Imo State University. When last did you visit owerri or any part of Imo state?

@the bolded: I thought he is relocating the university and then again, he is massively upgrading facilities! This RAO and his boys na wa oh! Building of small roads inside Lake Nwaebere is massive upgrade!!! I wonder in BH!

Jimmy Boy:
This is madness, we all watched the presentation of GMD -NNPC during House of Reps probe of Fuel Subsidy Payments. The man expressed his frustration on security of pipelines, that Shell had abandoned several pipelines as a result of persistent vandalization. He futher asserted that even when you arrest any of the vandals, the police will release them the next day. GEJ Administration has not addressed the security issues, he just want to buy pipes with borrowed funds. We are going back to the streets if try anything of such.

Before you attack GEJ, let me ask you how you intend to carry gas? If all the pipelines were vandalized, will you now transport gas on trucks? How come you still get power from turbines powered by gas!

MAke una dey think before una type

Make dem try am, they go see weeen! De fink say na those BH whe tie their head for NTA? America go finish them one hand. Dem don de fear!    

gentleoyink:
@ekt /efisher How much will it take to build a Refinery, that you think Shell/Chevron cannot aford?
I think mulitinational oil companies will be more efficient in operating a refineries than our Govt. has done so far.
That na if this bill come out as them talk am o.

My broda, it is just like saying "PIB to Compel the Nigerian Army to build refineries"! Will it succeed?

ekt_bear:
How is it possible to force them to build refineries?

Who will supply the billions of dollars to build the refineries?

Wetin concern producer of crude oil with refining of same?

They are entirely separate businesses.

May as well compel them to build roads, power plants, provide security, etc too

My broda, See me see problem oh! How can you force someone to do a business in a democracy? Soon, Nigerians will begin to adopt this as a true position of things!

The truth is that no matter how hard we probe; you cannot catch anyone! So the proper thing to do is REMOVE THE "FUEL" SUBSIDY, every bit of it. Remove it now and subsidize other sectors!

So far, with all the probe and media frenzy, how many persons have been named?

PDP will win again in 2015! Other political parties are babies, no structures. Even Fashola cannot win in the South South!

Mark my words

freepeople:
[size=18pt]This is serious[/size]

Courtesy of http://lindaikeji..com/

Please, add the population and the volume of "oyel" produced for each "Quantry"

Omo_Tier1:
You know the saying, "never confront an unscrupulous element, ", I have got more serious issues here to handle,

Oh, I asked for a link to look up your claim and you are "cleverly" running away

Next time, get your facts right before you post!

Mega unscrupulous element, by the way are you involved in organizing the protest against fuel subsidy removal in the UK?

^^^

Yes, I was asleep then but you just woke me up with your false claims!!!

Next time be sure of your facts before you post!

Prove me wrong; post a link that shows anything linking this to Dangote and I will accept and apologize for ignorance!

While I have the deepest respect for President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, he is a fine gentleman and Nigeria will forever miss him.

But:

Omo_Tier1:
Even in His sick body, knowing He may not live long, He never inflicted Nigerians with pains, remember the reversal of the sale of PH Refinary and Eleme Petrochemicals to Dangote and His croonies

for the bolded: see http://www.indorama.com/companies/eleme/profile.htm

efisher:
*I'm ignoring every unnecessary and immature squabble with other posters*

@ Topic, The target of fuel subsidy removal is not to solve all our problems but to ensure the more efficient use of our resources. I have interacted with some of the top players in the refining business and one point that stands out whenever they talk about Nigeria is the fact that Nigeria is in a good position to refine locally except for the impracticable policies that stand in the way. What do they mean? Two major (basic) ingredients are required for success in this business. They are:
1. Access to free on board (FOB) Crude
2. Access to Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) market.

Guess what: we have both! The problem however is that the CIF market is subsidized and regulated by the government. The only antidote therefore is to deregulate it. Subsidy however, stands in the way of deregulation.

The argument at this point should not be whether or not subsidy should be removed but how it should be removed. Should it be in phases? Should an alternative be provided b4 its removal? Should a new market to support local refining be created? Etc. These are the issues on which we should be exerting our brain power.

As always in support of efisher; Fuel Subsidy removal is not about stopping Corruption! NO and a bigger [size=14pt]NO[/size]! Even in the USA and with all their sophistication in anti-crime policies and actions; FBI, CIA, DEA, etc, etc, etc, etc, Maddof still spinned Americans of 50Billion Dollars. With all the talk about Immigration and effectiveness and efficiency of DOS and DEA, Mexican still carry drugs in high quantity in to the US.

Fuel subsidy is not about suffering Nigerians but I am talking of stimulating jobs; creating more jobs for the "ever articulate: Nigerian youths like you and me. If we remove Fuel Subsidy; there will be competition, more refineries will be built by the likes of Otedola, Dangote, Adenuga, Olabode,       ! We will all go and work for them. Even the IOCs will build and we go and work! We needs jobs.

This is not about electricity or transportation; it is about JOB CREATION!

If we don't, trust the Nigerian Cabal       ! They will soon flow in Ghana, build refineries, employ Ghanians, smuggle the fuel back into Nigeria, sell at 80Naira after collecting their Susbsidy allowee! Then send it back to Ghana, sell at 190Naira, to much money for the bigger bois and no job for the common man.

Nigerians, wise up now!


Again, this is the time to do like Ghana, Remove the Fuel Subsidy to stimulate the downstream sector so that jobs can be created!


God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
God bless President Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan
God bless Nairalanders

Take it or leave it, Steel Industry cannot work in Nigeria. Reason being that steel industry depends on efficient means of transporting raw materials and finished products.

Build or complete all rail lines linking Itakpe to the steel mills,

Or dredge the Escravos River to allow for massive importation of raw materials at the DSC. The case of 117 Indians, has proved the steel industry in Nigeria can never work with out adequate supporting transport infrastructure.

A-ZeD:
The Bolded above is a big fallacy,
From a business man point of view, its cheaper to import fuel than build a refinery!!
If you build a refinery esp in Nigeria, you will have to generate your own power, maintain the refinery, buy the crude at international price, pay your staffs(cost of doing business in Nigeria is one of the highest in the world).
If you import, less staff to pay, less capital needed and you still make your profit.

rolchi,
nobody is against subsidy per se, the opponents of subsidy removal are just saying removing subsidy does not solve the problems which got us here in the first place!

@bolded
Hmmmmm, Okay o! Very soon, Nigerians will flood Ghana to build refineries and employ Ghanaians and we will begin to say again "Go to Ghana, how many refineries do they have?" "Why can't our government do like Ghana?"

This is the time to do like Ghana, Remove the Fuel Subsidy to stimulate the downstream sector so that jobs can be created!


God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
God bless President Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan
God bless Nairalanders

efisher:
After all said and done, the wasteful subsidy WILL be removed. When a child refuses to swallow a bitter pill, you shove it down his throat. Hahaha

Gbam, lets' remove this subsidy and move forward! The question I ask people like Gbawe and all anti-fuel subsidy removal apostles is this:

Are we creating jobs in the downstream sector of the oil and gas under the current arrangement? If your answer is that the government should build more refineries, I will ask again: Mention one government owned company that is currently working to full installed capacity and are currently recruiting or have recruited in the past two years?

Every year, you hear of Total Recruiting via their website, NLNG, Mobil, etc! The one interview Nigerrians and Nairalanders wrote for NNPC was conducted at night and heaven knows how many people were eventually employed and they have to wait for another 2 years for recruitment, but people retire from NNPC every year.

The fuel subsidy is not about price for fuel but creation of jobs; opening of the sector so that we can get jobs. I need to be a big man in the new refinery coming out when the subsidy is removed

Support the Fuel Subsidy Removal, Support GEJ, Support efisher, Support Beaf!


God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
God bless President Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan
God bless Nairalanders

Pointblanknews again

And what is Adams Oshiomole saying? I thought he had some beautiful mathematical calculations in the date of Obasanjo! Now, he is a governor and he knows better!!!

@Noblezone
You have spoken well. Not only in the GSM sector did deregulation work. How about the broadcast industry? When I was a child, we had only the NTA and the various state broadcast houses! Thanks for deregulation, we have them many now; starting from AIT, SB, DBN, Channels, NN24, etc and this has even forced the NTA to rise and shine!

How about the banks? Then we had banks that we collect tally number first thing in the morning and come at the close of work to cash your cheque and then still "oil" the hands of the cashier, but with deregulation of the banking industry by IBB, we can even do GSM banking.

The problem is Nigerians forget too soon!

The truth is this:

Any Nigerian Leader that loves this country must remove subsidy and completely deregulate the petroleum industry! Our population is rising and our production remains at 2.3million barrels pd. Let there be a level field for any would-be investor.

In my mind, I was thinking that Adams Oshiomole would have built a refinery (no matter how small) in Edo State to provide jobs for Edolites. He used to be a strong opposition to Fuel Subsidy removal as NLC President. Let him now come up with all those his beautiful mathematical calculations of fuel economics that warmed him into the hearts of the simple folks! Afer all, there is oil Edo state!

The simple obvious truth is that no level of government can build and operate a refinery under the current arrangement in Nigeria. If this subsidy has not helped us in 50years, it will not help us now.

There is recession in Europe, let us free up this money in subsidy and turnaround our country.

Again, I repeat, our interest as Nigerians is to watch what our government will do after removing the subsidy and hold them to become more accountable.

No matter how the ACN dislike the PDP, was it not the Amiable BRF that headed a committee among the Governors forum that first proposed the removal of subsidy after the minimum wage bill was signed into law.

Nigerians, our leaders know the truth including Buhari/Bakare! Was it not the money Gen. Abacha got from proceeds after increasing the fuel price that brought again Buhari in to government direct service that he shows as one of his service to the nation, ? Why then should they play politics with the survival of the country? Tunde Bakare travels out, how many of those countries (like the UK) have fuel subsidy, yet their economy is dying today even with the infrastructure they have!

Was it not the UK government that withdrew some social services and it sparked riots, did it change their policies? NO,

If we don't act now, we shall be hit seriously tomorrow. Our case will even be worse. The obvious is that it a fact that the greatest spender today in Nigeria is government. So, if our government cannot spend tomorrow, the whole country is in catastrophe. All these talk will not help. If the government says tomorrow there is no money to spend (i.e. pay salaries), even a change of government will not produce money. Therefore, let us un-bundle our petroleum industry and allow investors to come in and begin to spend big. Until such a time, when our private sector becomes the major spender in the economy, we are not insulated from recession. Then, Tunde Bakare, SNG, NLC, NBA cannot help us, even the military cannot help then too.

So, lets us open up the PETROLEUM INDUSTRY NOW!!!

God bless Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan!
God Bless Nairalanders!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

@richy:
I swear that fuckin mumu you call mister goodluck can do nothing dan bleep all youth.he is eleribu**

This na smlla pikcin sense

PointB:
And we repeatedly told you things are moving in the right direction, slowly but steadily.

Very Correct PointB, very correct!