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The Federal Government has promised to work with stakeholders in the oil palm value chain to grow the sub-sector in line with its Industrial Revolution Plan. Mr Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, made the promise at a meeting with the Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria in Abuja. Others associations at the meeting were the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria and Vegetable and Edible Oil Processors Association of Nigeria. Aganga said that the ministry would partner all the stakeholders in the industry to develop holistic and integrated policy that would fast-track the growth of the sector. “No nation has developed from being a poor to a rich nation by relying heavily on producing and exporting its raw materials without a vibrant and robust industrial base and services sector. Our country is blessed with abundant human and natural resources to become a great nation especially given the ongoing transformation and reforms being carried out by President...

By Jimitota ONOYUME OIL theft is not new in the Niger Delta, but its rising index in recent times is constituting serious worries to government, security agencies and other stakeholders in the oil and gas business in the country. The Chief of Army Staff, Lieut. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, met with his top officers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to critically look at  how to nip the crime effectively and tackle the problem. Ihejirika told  SWEETCRUDE before the meeting that he was in the state to, among other things, discuss with his men on how best they could achieve concrete success in the anti bunkering crusade. [caption id="attachment_251637" align="alignnone" width="412"] File Photo: Nigerian Navy[/caption] The Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, has consistently lamented the negative impact of oil theft on the nation’s economy. At an interactive session with m...

By Olasunkanmi Akoni LAGOS — Lagos State Government has blamed the Federal Government for its inaction and negligence over incessant cases of oil pipelines vandalism and degradation in the state. It equally condemned alleged ongoing arrest of innocent residents around Idimu/Ejigbo Local Council Development Areas, LCDA, by Nigeria Civil Defence Corps NCDC, without proper investigation over suspicion that they were responsible for oil pollution of underground wells in the area, saying the residents should be protected rather than being arrested. Arrest It would be recalled that NCDC officials last week allegedly invaded Ejigbo and arrested some residents including a pregnant woman, for alleged NNPC pipelines vandalism. Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello who spoke weekend, noted that while the state government supported every action of the Federal Government to curb stealing of petroleum products and pipeline vandalism in the nation, it, however, frowned at any act that could c...

By VICTORIA OJEME ABUJA — The government of Bayelsa State has appealed to Italy to assist in remedying the state from environment degradation caused by oil pollution. The Chief of Staff, Bayelsa House, Abuja, Chief Diekivie  Ikiogha, made the appeal, when he paid a courtesy call on the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Roberto Colamine. Chief Ikiogha in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, called on the Italian government to help the state tackle its environmental challenges. He noted that the peculiar terrain of the state as well as oil pollution, occasioned by oil exploration and vandalisation of oil pipeline, had thrown up enormous environmental challenges to government. He appealed to the Italian Ambassador to support the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Seriake Dickson by providing support to the development of the Niger Delta and the country as a whole. In his remarks, Ambassador Colamine said the Italian government appreciated the com...

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South,Sam Oyadongha, Yenagoa & Jimitota Onoyume, Port Harcourt How barons, military personnel, govt officials, IOC’s bleed the nation The fear over 2013 revenue target This is the concluding part of the investigative story on how members of a powerful cabal continue to conspire, robbing in the process, Nigerians of billions of dollars. It is very revealing but also represents a narrative on how mis-governance inspired by greed makes a mockery of the nation. Production projections NNPC said after repair works on the Nembe Creek Trunk Line, which has a daily capacity of 150,000 bpd, “daily average crude oil production is expected to increase to 2.50 m/bpd which will exceed the national daily target of 2.48 m/bpd.” It added, “Our expectation is to increase production from the 2.48 to 2.55 m/bpd (both crude and condensate) for the rest of the year. We have the capacity and potential to maintain production above 2.55 m/bpd in the country. “All that...

By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Monsur Olowoopejo No fewer than 30 suspected oil pipeline vandals were, yesterday, arrested by the officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense  Corps, NSCDC, in Isheri-Oshun axis of Ogun-Lagos states border. This came a week after the NSCDC, Lagos command arrested eight  suspected vandals in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, LCDA. Among the suspects were two teenagers, identified as Micheal Oyedotun  and Azeez Ajani, who both claimed to be apprentices at different  fashion institutes, and a Pastor over illegal  possession of the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the suspects: were arrested at about 3:00 am after a gun battle between the vandals and the officers of the NSCDC. It was also learnt that two  vehicles owned by the suspected vandals were impounded while over 20, 000 liters of fuel in drums were recovered.