BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA
Yenagoa—A Niger Delta environmentalist, Mr Alagoa Morris, has called for the granting of operational licences to bush/local refinery operators as well as funding by the Federal Government to enable them establish modular refineries, as it will go a long way to curb crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Morris, in an interview with Vanguard in Yenagoa, said that the gesture will also curb the upsurge in criminality in the troubled region, adding that petroleum products, will also be readily available for the people. He said: “to stop oil theft, encourage local technology, boost local economy, create jobs and make petroleum products readily available and affordable for us, the Federal Government should grant operational licences to bush/local refinery operators and assist them with funds to establish modular refineries.”
He argued that if the movie industry could be funded by the Federal Government, same should be extended to the bush/local refinery operators.
According to him, “strategies to set operational standards/guidelines can be worked out to allow the local refineries operate after training the operators as it will drastically reduce crime in the creeks.”
