WARRI – The need for constant consultations between oil companies and their host communities in the Niger Delta region has been reemphasized.

Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro and Chairman of Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Vandalism of Oil and Gas Facilities , noted this in a communiqué issued and made available to the press at the end of a 2 -day conference on oil and gas installation in Delta (Phase 1) at Government House Annex ,Warri.

According to Barr. Otuaro, in ensuring a conducive atmosphere of peace and security in oil bearing communities, constant consultations are necessary between oil companies and all segments of host communities, including women folk in drawing up and implementing a Memoranda of Understanding.

He noted that, an estimated 1.5 million tons of crude oil has been spilled into the Niger Delta ecosystem over the past 50 years,adding that over 800,000 barrels of crude oil were lost daily to vandalism, adding that only ten percent of this loss is usually accessed by oil vandals while the remaining 90% is wasted on the environment resulting in irreversible to the ecology of the impacted areas.

The conference also observed that host communities, oil companies and government, all have the responsibility of ensuring that acts of vandalism in the region are minimized.

According to Otuaro, the involvement of the local people rather than the use of force and deployment of Nigeria’s instrument of coercion was the only guarantee for the security of oil and gas facilities.

“Conference is of the firm view that oil and gas facilities will be better secured when communities are treated as partners in the oil industry so that they see their individual and collective destinies as been tired to the overall success of Oil industry which they must protect vigorously,” the conference noted.

On relocation of headquarters of International Oil Companies to the Niger Delta, the conference lamented that refusal of the oil companies to relocate to their areas of operation was denying the region taxes and royalties due them.

Established in 2016 , the Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Vandalism of Oil and Gas Facilities was
to amongst other things, sustain peace and reduce the incidences of oil and gas facilities and other acts of criminal activities in the region to the nearest minimum.