Check pipeline vandalism, PENGASSEN urges FG

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called on the Federal Government to check the incessant bombings of oil pipelines by militants in the Niger Delta region.

The President of PENGASSAN, Mr. Francis Olabode-Johnson, made the call on Friday in Calabar in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Olabode-Johnson said in spite of the current war against pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft in the region, the effects had not been adequately felt.

According to him, there was still a colossal loss of national revenue caused by such acts of sabotage.

“I am calling on the Federal Government to check pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region.

“Nigeria is losing a large percentage of her revenue due to the activities of these criminals.

“I also call on the government and multinational oil companies to invest more in modern technologies to check incidents of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.

“I urge the government not to privatise or give concession on the pipelines so as not to put our national assets in private hands and as a result , further jeopardize the nation’s security survival,’’ he said.

Olabode-Johnson said that it was time for the government to evaluate pipelines’ integrity and proffer solutions.

“It is our expectations that `pipeline integrity’ will be sound enough to enable safe transportation of crude and products all over the country.

“Pipeline installation can now be done using state of the art technology in a manner that it will be inaccessible to vandals.

“We also expect the managers of these pipelines to imbibe the culture of regular maintenance while the government lives up to its responsibility of providing security to these national assets,’’ he said.

Olabode-Johnson appealed to security agencies posted to protect pipelines not to compromise, saying that such could lead to more loss of revenue into government coffers.