Buhari assures oil companies of protection in Niger Delta Published on May 20, 2016

Buhari assures oil companies of protection in Niger Delta

Published on May 20, 2016

PRESIDENT BUHARI RECEIVES SHELL TEAM 4. R-L; Minister of State Petroleum, Dr Ibe Emmanuel Kachikwu, President and Minister of Petroleum, Muhammadu Buhari, Shell Global Upstream Director, Mr. Andrew Brown and MD/Country Chair Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor during an audience with the President at the State House in Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE/STATE HOUSE. MAY 20 2016.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja assured oil companies operating in the Niger Delta that the Federal Government is taking all necessary actions to protect strategic assets in the region from vandals and criminals.Speaking at a meeting with the Global Director (Upstream) of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, Mr. Andrew Brown, President Buhari said that he has directed the Chief of Naval Staff to reorganise and strengthen the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta to deal effectively with the resurgence of militancy and the sabotage of oil installations.
The President told Mr. Brown that the operations of the JTF were also being enhanced with increased support and cooperation from the United States and Europe in the areas of training, intelligence, equipment and logistics.
“We have to be very serious with the situation in the Niger Delta because it threatens the national economy. I assure you that everything possible will be done to protect personnel and oil assets in the region,” President Buhari said.
The President urged aggrieved persons, militants and communities in the Niger Delta to drop their confrontational stance and work with those who have been charged by the Federal Government to review the Amnesty Programme initiated by the Yar’Adua Administration for the benefit of all parties.
President Buhari praised the resilience and staying power of Shell in Nigeria despite the operational challenges of the environment .
He urged the company to do its best to end gas-flaring in the Niger Delta quickly and produce more gas for electricity generation to support manufacturing and job creation in the country.
Mr. Brown had appealed for an urgent solution to rising crime and militancy in the Niger Delta.
The Shell Executive also dispelled speculations that the company was pulling out of Nigeria.
He said that contrary to such speculations, Shell was currently in discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on new joint oil and gas projects.