In a strategic move to address the ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s oil sector, the Minister for State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has initiated a series of meetings with traditional rulers in Bayelsa State. According to a report by Premium Times, the minister’s special adviser on media and communication, Nneamaka Okafor, announced this development on Saturday.
According to Okafor, these courtesy visits are part of a broader effort by the minister to build cooperation with key stakeholders in the industry. The focus is on tackling critical issues like pipeline vandalism, crude theft, and security uncertainties in oil-bearing communities.
During a meeting with the Pere of the Ekpetiama clan, His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo, Lokpobiri emphasized the importance of collective action against pipeline vandalism and oil theft. The minister urged the monarch to lead other traditional rulers in a unified approach to these challenges.
In a subsequent visit to Edmund Daukoru, the King of the Nembe Kingdom and former Minister of Petroleum, discussions centered on collaborative efforts to ensure pipeline security and combat illicit activities in the oil sector. The minister expressed gratitude for Daukoru’s insights, drawing on his extensive experience in the petroleum industry.
The dialogue continued with the Pere of Kumbowei Kingdom, Boloye Embareba, focusing on the vital role of cooperation between the government and traditional rulers in enhancing crude production and ensuring security.
These engagements highlight the minister’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s oil sector woes, particularly the surge in pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft that has hampered the nation’s revenue. The government’s target is to achieve 2 million barrels per day of crude oil production by the end of the next year.
