The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has outlined plans to establish a security advisory council to find solutions to the problem of pipeline vandalism and insecurity bedeviling the oil and gas industry.
The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said this in Abuja on Thursday when the management of Media Trust Limited paid him a courtesy visit.
Baru stressed the need to evolve new measures to bring an end to pipeline vandalism.
He said the Council would involve critical stakeholders including security agencies, Niger Delta leaders, International Oil Communities to address all security and host community agitation.
“We want to passionately appeal to those behind indiscriminate acts of infrastructure vandalism to put an end forthwith to these despicable acts.
”Such acts are a great threat to the economy, the eco-system and energy security of the country,” Baru said.
Baru explained that since coming on board, he had ensured that the NNPC was run as a FACTI-based Corporation (Focused, Accountable, Competitive and a Transparent organisation conducting its business with Integrity.)
He noted that the Corporation’s monthly operational and financial reports were always in the public sphere for all to see.
According to him, it is this new wave of openness and transparency that has earned the NNPC rave reviews and accolades among Nigerians.
“With the consistent release of our monthly financial and operational reports, the Nigerian Extractive Industries & Transparency Initiative (NEITI) recently commended us for embracing openness, subjecting our activities to greater public scrutiny and providing real-time information about the state of the nation’s oil and gas sector,” Baru said.
He explained that through his 12 Business Focus Areas, the Corporation had kick-started the implementation of policies to place the organisation on the path of growth and profitability.
Baru further explained that management has increased the nation’s oil and gas reserves to 37 billion barrels of oil and 192 trillion cubic feet of gas respectively.
The GMD said the Corporation has also commenced exploratory activities in the Gongola Basin with the aim of further growing oil and gas reserves and taking advantage of low oil prices which make inland exploration cost effective.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Media Trust Limited, Malam Kabir Yusuf, stated that the visit was to strengthen existing cordial relationship between the two organisations.
“We are here as stakeholders in the media and the economy to say that we appreciate the work you are doing.
”We also have the opportunity to have more insight into these works and to communicate them to the public,” Yusuf said. (NAN)
YETI/AFA