Barry Esimone, an engineer, is the Chief Executive Officer of Crusteam, an energy and infrastructure group of companies. In this interview with Sebastine Obasi, he discusses challenging issues in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and expectations in 2017, excerpts.

I’ve indicated interest to be considered for selection as the fifth Tor Tiv so that I’ll make my contribution towards the upliftment of our people traditionally and developmentally. I’ve taken this decision because by the grace of God I’ve had the opportunity to serve in public office and I think I have the experience and the exposure that I think will be relevant in that office.

I went to Aba to stop cannibalism, eating of human beings, it is just as bad as our people here today kidnapping our own people

If they had followed the comments the finance minister made about cutting rates, and had followed it, and cut it back to 12%, they would have created some instability which would have upset some investors. But then this is a double inflation as well because it is a battle between growth and inflation. So of course the high rates right now was causing concerns about the investment because of high debts to pay back but at the same time, price stability is probably what the CBN is trying to do, to cut the inflation rate which is 17.6% and also trying to stabilise the naira.

Mr. Kingsley Muturu is Delta State Chairman of ex-militants under the Phase 2 of the Amnesty Programme. In this interview, he shares alleged experience of harassment in the hands of the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Niger Delta. He also condemns the arrest and secret detention of another ex-militant leader, Mr Francis Muturu, aka ‘General Aboy’, as well as calls on the Minister of Defence, the Inspector-General of Police, Director of SSS and others to intervene in the matter.

TROUBLED by the unwholesome activities of herdsmen on its Eastern flank, destabilised by the actions of militant groups in the South and disappointed at the perceived failure of its leaders, the southern part of Nigeria seems to be in distress. Of the 11 states in the region that is split into South East and South South geopolitical zones, only a few appears to be succeeding while others are struggling to attain key parameters of governance.

African Farmers and Cultural Organisation (AFCO), a non-governmental and non-profit making organisation concerned about African food security, fair trades and tourism, is encouraging farmers’ corporation through diversified exchange of programs in keeping with world peace.

Dr. Nyerere Anyim, Abia State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 general elections, in this interview, speaks on his party as well as Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration, among other issues.

It depends. If Nigerians want restructuring, I have no problems with that. But it can’t be one part of the country, it must be holistic. Then, there must be a proposal, there must be constitutional amendment, there is referendum to be held before we can be talking of restructuring. Recently, Britain exited from the European Union, EU, the people didn’t fight. There was no life lost in the whole drama. Again, I don’t think we should be dwelling too much on oil. The so-called oil is gradually becoming non-fashionable. Other sources of energy are emerging everyday. Time would come when nobody would be talking about oil anymore. Meanwhile, find out the quantity of the reserves of oil in the North,you will be shocked at what we have. It is much more than what you can imagine.

I think people just try to rationalise corruption but we all know what corruption is. If you are driving on the road and you pay a policeman money to avoid prosecution, that is petty corruption. If you are in public office and you use that office for private gain, we know that is corruption. So, it is in an attempt to give a veneer of legality to corruption that we pretend we do not know what corruption is but we do. We know the people who are thieves even in our traditional societies, and we also know that those people who are taking things that dosn’t belong to them are engaging in corruption.