We've made smuggling of oil unattractive, says Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has declared that his administration has succeeded in curbing the smuggling of Nigeria’s crude oil, describing it as one of the key milestones since assuming office amid a distressed economy.
Speaking during an interactive session with Nigerians in Saint Lucia yesterday, Tinubu said his government has also ended the speculative hunt for foreign exchange at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“We inherited a country that was near bankruptcy, but we have been able to rescue the economy. Nigeria has recovered. We have made the smuggling of our oil unattractive. We have stopped chasing forex papers at the Central Bank,” Tinubu stated.
The President, who met the Diaspora community at the official residence of Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, and later at the Windjammer Resort, his temporary residence during the state visit, assured them that his government is committed to addressing the diplomatic and consular concerns raised by Nigerians in the Caribbean nation.
Acknowledging the challenges in national income levels, Tinubu admitted that Nigeria’s per capita income remains low, but said steps are being taken to improve the economic well-being of citizens.
The engagement was facilitated by the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who commended Nigerians in Saint Lucia for their contributions to their host country, urging them to stay connected to their homeland.
MEANWHILE, the Isoko Renaissance Movement (IRM) has appealed to Tinubu to review the pipeline surveillance contract in the Niger Delta region and break it down for all ethnic nationalities to man their points.
Speaking during a peaceful protest yesterday in Abuja, the Convener, IRM, Jezreel Enahoro, stressed the need for genuine Isoko sons and daughters to secure pipelines around Isoko communities.
Enahoro also urged the government to declare a state of emergency on infrastructural development, as well as human capital development in Isoko land, calling on the authorities to ensure the development of the Isoko Gas Turbine project to ensure ample electricity supply in Isoko land.
He noted: “The IRM requests that the Federal Government award a fresh contract to a company of our choosing or that which is properly vetted by the stakeholders of Isoko region for surveillance of our crude oil pipelines, and not those who are appendages of Tantita Security.
“The betrayal of Isoko must end. The call for justice must rise beyond whispers.” The Convener also called on the government to appoint Isoko sons and daughters into Federal Government boards and government parastatals.
“If our resources are good enough to sustain the nation, then our people are good enough to be recognised, represented, and rewarded. Isoko demands fairness. Isoko demands inclusion. Isoko demands its rightful place in the governance and development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large. Our silence will not last forever,” Enahoro added.
