President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said Sunday at The Hague that the
Federal Government has earmarked one billion U.S Dollars for the
implementation of a comprehensive programme to check crude oil theft, the
vandalism of oil and gas infrastructure, and the apprehension and
prosecution of crude oil thieves.
Speaking at separate meetings with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands,
Mr. Mark Rutte and the Chief Executive Officer of Shell International,
Mr. Ben van Beurden, President Jonathan said that a technical committee
has already been set up to look into all aspects of the implementation of
the programme.
This, the President said, will include further action to enhance the
security of pipelines and other oil industry infrastructure, resolve
community-related issues, boost youth empowerment in oil-producing areas
and enhance the commitment of oil companies to the discharge of their
corporate social responsibilities.
President Jonathan said that the fresh onslaught against oil theft
planned by his administration will require the maximum co-operation of
the international community, especially countries like the Netherlands
which are major stakeholders in the global oil industry.
“Oil theft is an aspect of global terrorism, which has become a big
industry on its own. It has become a major threat to the Nigerian economy
and we need to work with all stakeholders to curb it. The thieves must be
traced, apprehended and prosecuted”, the President who is in the
Netherlands for the 2014 global Nuclear Security Summit said.
The Dutch Prime Minister assured the President of the commitment of the
Netherlands to concerted action against crude oil theft and global
terrorism.
Mr. Rutte who remarked that President Jonathan’s visit affirmed the
strong ties between Nigeria and the Netherlands, also assured the
President of the willingness of The Netherlands to collaborate more with
Nigeria on environmental and security issues, particularly in the Niger
Delta.
He praised Nigeria’s leadership role in promoting regional security in
West Africa, and welcomed the signing of an agreement on immigration
between both countries as well as the strong trade relations between
Nigeria and The Netherlands.
“The President’s visit is an open testimony of the strong ties between
Nigeria and Netherlands. Nigeria is Netherlands’ main trading partner in
Africa and the Netherlands is the second biggest European investor in
Nigeria,” the Dutch Prime Minister said.