Oil Theft: Niger Delta Minister meets Jonathan, Asari Dokubo, seeks resolution

The Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, recently met with former President Goodluck Jonathan to discuss pressing issues in the Niger Delta region. Their conversation revolved around finding effective solutions to combat crude oil theft and enhance the region’s infrastructure.

In addition to this, the Minister also had a meeting with Asari Dokubo as part of a broader effort to engage in strategic consultations aimed at addressing the complex challenges faced by the oil-rich region.

According to the Minister, in August alone, the nation experienced a significant deficit of 470,000 barrels per day, which is equivalent to 29% of the usual production. Crude oil theft was identified as the primary cause of this shortfall.

The purpose of these meetings was to seek guidance and advice from these experienced statesmen on how to better tackle the longstanding issues in the region.

A statement from the Minister’s office revealed that productive discussions had taken place regarding measures to combat crude oil theft, promote infrastructure development, and create employment opportunities for the youth in the Niger Delta.

What the Minister is Saying

The statement which contained the briefing of both meetings highlights the key discussion between the Minister and Jonathan as well as Mr. Dokubo.

The statement reads,

• “This initiative aligns with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as the Minister seeks to drive positive change and development in this vital area of Nigeria.
• “On Tuesday, the former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, hosted the Minister at his residence in Abuja. They engaged in valuable and insightful discussions, focusing on strategies to combat crude oil theft, improve infrastructure, and create employment opportunities for the youth in the Niger Delta region.
• “Accompanying the minister was the ex-president’s former Chief of Staff and former Deputy Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Chief Mike Oghiadohme.
• “Engr. Momoh commended former President Jonathan for sharing his wealth of experience for the betterment of the Niger Delta region. He also expressed appreciation for the wisdom and generosity of His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, for taking the time to provide guidance and insights during the meeting. His commitment to the development of Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta region, is truly commendable.”

More Insight on the Meeting

Furthermore, the statement also highlights the outcome of the meeting with Asari Dokubo, conveying that Mr. Dokubo advised the President to swiftly recover monies wrongly allocated to unrelated projects by past governments.

Continuing, it says,

• “To expand his consultations with stakeholders in the Niger Delta region, the Hon. Minister also met with Alhaji Asari-Dokubo, a prominent figure in the Ijaw ethnic group. The primary topics of discussion included regional peace and strategies to combat crude oil theft, which has been detrimental to Nigeria’s oil production.
• “Alhaji Asari-Dokubo, a significant political figure, provided valuable advice and expressed his commitment to supporting the Minister in his role.
• “Engr. Momoh conveyed his sincere gratitude to Alhaji Asari-Dokubo for his warm welcome and valuable insights during the meeting. He emphasized the importance of such support as they work towards a brighter future for the Niger Delta region and the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria.
• “According to Asari-Dokubo, the Minister is a sincere personality who would be dedicated to addressing infrastructural deficits in the Niger Delta. He called on Niger Deltans to support the Minister and prevent obstacles that could derail the Ministry’s development plan.
• “Asari-Dokubo also urged President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to take action to recover the monies wrongly allocated to unrelated projects by past governments.”