By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA-Governor Sireke Dickson of Bayelsa State has stated that the country cannot tolerate vandalisation of its critical assets especially in the oil sector at the time, saying that there was urgent need to ensure maximum protection of all major oil companies operating in the Niger Delta.

Dickson raised the concern after meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinabjo at the presidential villa, Abuja on Monday night following the blowing up and theft of oil installations in the region by suspected Niger Delta Avengers, NDA.

The meeting which was at the instance of the government was to get full briefs on how to tackle the menace.

Briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Dickson who was accompanied by the Amayanabo of Toun Brass, Bayelsa State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff and the representatives of major oil firms which included Shell, Total, AGIP, NLNG, Chevron among others revealed that south south governors would also be meeting with president Mohammadu Buhari on the issue.

“First, we are here because the Vice-President took time to invite the state government and the representatives of oil companies that are operating in Bayelsa State because of the issues the government has with them in respect of taxation principally.

“But we have also used this opportunity to talk about the need for an enabling secured environment for the oil companies to continue with their operations.

“This is a time that we cannot afford to have any disruption, not to talk of vandalism of critical national assets. This is a time that all hands should be on the deck.

“All of us as stakeholders are concerned and we have agreed to work together to ensure that production is not disrupted and that all partners should be responsible and do what we need to do.

“I want to use this opportunity to say that yesterday at the meeting of the South South governors in Asaba, this issue was discussed; the need for all of us to work together in the Niger Delta, compare notes and collaborate with the Federal Government was discussed.

“We agreed to have a meeting with the President. We have conveyed that message and we are looking forward to a date that will be convenient for the President.

“The meeting will be on how we can jointly protect strategic national assets, discuss our common and shared responsibilities for security and law and order”, he said.

Earlier, the Vice President had also met with some security chiefs from Navy and Army, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and some other officials of government on the issue.