An expert in pipeline processing and engineering, Chinedu Maduakoh, says the Federal Government can end oil pipeline vandalism by engaging all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.
Maduakoh, who is the managing director of a pipeline and process engineering firm, in Port-Harcourt, spoke at the ongoing 2022 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, United States.
He said the lack of engagement with the host communities was of the major reasons of pipeline vandalism in the country.
He said there was a huge disconnect between the government and the people who had the capacity to solve these problems, adding that this gap must be bridged immediately to allow the possible solution to thrive.
According to him, one of the major challenges we have is the lack of engagement between the government and the stakeholders in the private sector and the host communities.
“The more government engages the stakeholders, the more they identify the challenges and possible solutions.
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“The more government realises we have the solutions in-house in Nigeria and the ability to tackle our own problems and proffer solutions, the better for us.
“There is a huge disconnect between the government and the people who have the capacity to solve these problems. There is a huge gap and the government needs to bridge it urgently to find lasting solutions.
“We need the government to reach out to the stakeholders and service companies to be able to engage them and understand what it takes and what it will take to be able to solve our problem in Nigeria’’, he said.
Maduakoh urged the Federal Government to also engage pipeline host communities to discuss solution to pipeline vandalism.
“Nigeria has the seventh largest deposit of gas in the world, one of the biggest problems is that the government has not been able to focus and harness our potential in gas.
“What we need is to build capacity, expose the opportunities we have to the world and there’s a lot to gain by coming to tap into our resources. It will benefit us both locally and internationally.
“We need to engage the communities where these pipelines are situated. The government needs to reach out to these communities, sit down and have continuous engagement and let the communities feel the government and let the government feel the communities.
“I can assure you that solutions will come from those engagements to solve the problems of pipeline vandalism.
