NLC must query FG on oil theft —Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has tasked the Nige­
ria Labour Congress (NLC) to ask questions from the Federal
Government on how hundreds of barrels of crude oil are
allegedly stolen without check, on a daily basis.
Speaking at the ground breaking of the Labour House in Benin
City, Oshiomhole said Nigeria was being run in a directionless
manner and the labour movement must show more interest in
the national discourse so that the ship of state could be
steered in the right direction.
“Issues of the management of the treasury, issues of oil theft
are not the preserve of the political class. Oil is being stolen.
Nigeria has a capacity for 2.5 million barrels a day. We have
oil performing on an average of $108 a barrel over the past
few years; it has hovered on that average. Sometime, it went
to $111, at a time it dropped to $106 per barrel.
“Oil performance has been stable and we budget at $98, with
the difference over a period of three years; we ought to have
huge reserves now, so that when occasion like this comes, we
will live as if there is no fluctuation. But while this was going
on, we suddenly heard of crude oil theft, sometimes about 700
barrels per day is allegedly stolen. Seven hundred barrels per
day, these are big vessels.
“I think the NLC needs to show more interest in this politics of
oil theft. Who are the people stealing this oil? Since when?
What has changed about the territorial boundaries of Nigeria?
In good times, we were told this thing is being stolen and in
bad times, we are told to fasten our belt.”