Dr Maikanti Baru, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has solicited the support of Bauchi State Government for pipeline protection.
Baru called for the support when Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of the state visited his office on Monday in Abuja.
“A critical area of support that we implore from you is the security of our pipelines that traverse the state, that goes from Jos through Bauchi State to Gombe and almost Maiduguri and Yola.
“There have been reported vandalism and we request that you assist us with the necessary security surveillance to make sure that such vandalism are brought to the minimum,” he said.
He said the NNPC was committed to collaborate with all state governors to drive all the initiative that would help drive active security on the pipelines.
He noted that one major challenge of the corporation was infractions on the infrastructure, especially with pipeline vandalism and theft.
This, he said, had affected NNPC to meet its obligation to the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“We will continue to meet this obligation timely and effectively as much as possible,” he said.
Baru said the corporation was strategising to start exploration at the Chad, adding that the president had given directive for NNPC to improve the prospects of the findings in the area.
“We are taking steps to re-strategise and get into those regions.
“We will reinvigorate the frontier exploration and see how they collaborate with NNDC that is holding block 809 where some of the findings have been found and also Department of Petroleum Resources for the other blocks that have not been assigned,” he added.
On product distribution, he said NNPC was committed to providing adequate petroleum products to all nooks and corners of the country.
He added that since June this year, NNPC had supplied average of 28 trucks daily to Bauchi State, exceeding the 15 trucks requirement for the state.
Ealier, Abubakar said his visit to the NNPC Towers was to felicitate with Baru as a brother and distinguished son of Bauchi State for attaining the position of the GMD of the corporation.
“We feel it is very important we come and assure him of the backing and support of the government and people of Bauchi State.
“We are confident that like he has done in all other positions he has occupied in the industry, he is going to be successful in this particular position ( NAN)