The Federal Government has told South-South states that
multinational oil companies would not relocate their Headquarters to the Niger
Delta because peace cannot be guaranteed.
The government said if the place remained insecure,
investment would continue to be elusive as no oil company would agree to go
there.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre
Sylva, stated this in his speech obtained by journalists on Sunday in Abuja
delivered after his induction as patron and conferment of the peace ambassadors
award on him by the Niger Delta Non-Violence Agitators Forum.
Sylva enjoined Niger Deltans to remain steadfast in bringing
peace to the oil-producing areas.
He said, “What I must say here is that the core of your
organisation is non-violence and that is actually the essence of what we want
in Nigeria.
“We must bring peace to the Niger Delta. It’s our duty to
bring peace to the Niger Delta. Sometimes, we are worried that investment
opportunities are not coming to the Niger Delta. But we must realize that it’s
our activities that will determine whether these opportunities will come or
not.
“Right now, we are
saying that oil companies must move their Headquarters to the Niger Delta. But
it’s our duty to ensure that the place is peaceful enough for the oil companies
to move back there. If the place is insecure, you will actually believe that no
oil company will agree to go there.
“That is why this organization is really very important in
the Niger Delta. That’s why we must begin to also encourage those of you who
are committed to making peace and only trying to assuage those who are making
trouble. So I am really happy to be associated with this organization.
“What we need in the Niger Delta more than anything else
right now is peace and I believe that if there is peace in the Niger Delta
there will be prosperity. No investor would want to operate from far if there
is peace because it actually cost him more, operating from a distance. So for
us, I believe that if we can bring peace to the Niger Delta, these investors
will not talk much.”
Sylva recommended that other organizations should emulate
what NDNAF was doing to propagate the message of peace
“Just as you have brought that message to me, I want to
assure you that from today, I will also be an advocate of the NDNAF,” the
Minister said.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com