The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged young people in the Niger Delta region to turn away from acts of vandalism and instead focus on constructive participation in the oil and gas industry for long-term regional growth.
Akpabio gave this charge during the two-day Niger Delta Oil and Gas Investment and Security Summit held in Calabar, Cross River State, between August 29 and 30.
The summit, themed “Constructive Engagement for the Protection of Oil and Gas Assets and Supporting Institutions to Drive Implementation of Extant Laws to Deepen Local Content Realisation,” provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss solutions to insecurity and underdevelopment in the region.
Represented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Oil and Gas Host Communities, Senator Benson Agadaga, Akpabio emphasized that the Niger Delta must be recognized for “reasoned engagement rather than agitation or mere complaints.”
According to him, “It is through platforms like this summit that ideas are shared to help develop our communities and advance our environment. The laws exist, but it is up to us to bring them to life.”
He highlighted the importance of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Local Content Act, and the Environmental Content Development and Monitoring Act as legal frameworks designed to drive progress. “There is nothing wrong if two or three individuals or organisations come together to establish their own company and invest in the region’s oil and gas sector,” Akpabio added.
The Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekpirikpe Ekpo, represented by Senior Technical Advisor Abel Nsa, also spoke at the summit. He underscored the federal government’s gas-to-methanol investment in Bayelsa State and stressed Cross River’s strategic role in attracting methanol-related projects.
He further explained that the Eastern Horizon Pipeline carries gas from Akwa Ibom through Cross River, ending at UniCem in Mfamosin, thereby opening up opportunities for industrialisation and gas exportation. “By leveraging this corridor, Nigeria can generate foreign exchange, strengthen regional energy security, and position Calabar as a true export hub,” Ekpo stated.
However, he warned that oil theft and pipeline vandalism remain major threats to investor confidence.
Adding to the conversation, Dr. Chinedu Ogwus, Regional Director of Africa Robotics and Autonomous Systems, identified poor leadership and weak judicial systems as factors contributing to insecurity in the Niger Delta. He urged communities to invest in youth development, scholarships, and technology to address insecurity sustainably.
Ogwus also cautioned against greed, which he described as a stumbling block to unity and progress in the region.
okay.ng reports that the summit closed with a renewed call for cooperation, investment, and leadership commitment to reposition the Niger Delta as an economic powerhouse.
