The Senate Adhoc Committee on Oil Theft has arrived in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, to investigate the true situation at oil installations throughout the Niger Delta, as a result of concerns over the declining oil revenues brought on by crude oil theft and pipeline damage.
The Ad hoc Committee will travel to oil platforms in the Niger Delta with representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission under the direction of its Chairman, Bassey Akpan.
Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria staged a statewide demonstration four days before to this visit, calling for government and stakeholder action in response to the economic chaos created by oil thieves.
According to the latest Crude Oil and Condensate Production data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigeria’s oil production fell below one million barrels per day mark last month, coming in at 972,394 barrels per day, the lowest daily average output in 25 years.
Speaking to journalists upon arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport, the Senate Committee Chairman said the Committee is out to ascertain the reason for the shut ins in Nigeria’s oil production and see to it that oil producers adhere strictly to the industry’s regulations on metering.
He believed there are other reasons behind the shortfall in the nation’s oil production which they hope to unravel, saying their engagement and tour will form a basis for their recommendation to the National Assembly.