By Victor Ahiuma-Young

FORMER Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Industrial Relations Manager and onetime President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Dr. Brown Ogbeifun, has called on the Federal Government to do everything possible to resolve the Niger Delta crisis.

Ogbeifun, who is also a former President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, and  immediate past president of the  Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria, ICMC, contended that the resolution of Niger Delta crisis will speed up the nation’s economic recovery.

In a chat with Vanguard, Ogbeifun contended that for Nigeria to witness economic growth and recovery, the crude oil price should be above $50 per barrel in 2017. The nation must check illegal bunkering, curtail vandalism of products and amicably resolve the Niger Delta issues.

He also noted that Nigeria must pull through the petroleum sector reforms, stabilse the NNPC and allow the corporation to operate as a truly commercialized venture without unnecessary interferences from the Federal Government as well as conserve the scarce Foreign Exchange, FOREX, through optimum capacity utilization of local refineries to reduce foreign currency denominated importation of petroleum products.

According to him, there must be quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, into law within the first quarter of 2017 and effective exiting of the cash call fiscal regime among others, saying, “then we might confidently say that there would be a glimmer of hope for the economy as the country moves towards the third quarter.”