By Victor Ahiuma-Young

Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has called for a stakeholders’ summit made up of  ship owners, military, police, Department of State Services, DSS and labour, among others, to fashion out a new strategy to end oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

The union named other stakeholders to include Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, NUPENG, and Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, Army, Navy and Air Force, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and Civil Defence

President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, spoke during a courtesy call on the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, in Abuja.  Achese said NUPENG, as a major stakeholder, was worried about the incessant vandalism and oil theft which had led to huge losses to the nation’s economy, promising to collaborate with the army to end the scourge.

He also drew the attention of the Chief of Army Staff to some soldiers whom he said had formed the habit of harrassing and disturbing tanker drivers who are  performing their lawful duties in the haulage of petroleum products to various parts of the country.

Responding, General Buratai assured that the army was on top of Boko Haram situation and noted that he ordered the commander of the Military Police to check the harassment of tanker drivers and was also going to meet with Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, on ways to check oil theft. He advised NUPENG to always explore the use of dialogue instead of shutting down the nation whenever they had grievances.