Nwaozuzu Chigozie, the National Vice President of the Independent Association of Refineries Petroleum Marketers, has shed light on the persistent challenge of combating illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region.
During an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Chigozie emphasized the fundamental issue of trust between the government and the people of the Niger Delta.
He underscored the importance of community involvement in any development projects intended for the region, suggesting that genuine engagement with local communities is crucial for fostering trust and cooperation.
He said, “It is very difficult to end oil bunkering because it’s dimensional. One thing is obvious. Do people there believe in that vision called Nigeria? Do they trust the government? Have they been cheated? Have the communities been treated well?
“In the western countries, if such is found in your land, all you do is to pay royalty to the government. People have not been properly enlightened especially those from the Niger Delta. Government should pay more attention to that.
“It’s not about allocating funds to NDDC. In each of the communities where road projects are to be executed, contractors should be made known to the beneficiaries so that they would be part of the monitoring.”
