President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday summoned a meeting of the Gulf of Guinea Energy Security Strategy (GGESS) at the Presidential Villa.
He asked stakeholders to cooperate with the Federal Government to reduce tension and violence and promote socio-economic development in the Niger Delta.
The President spoke of his own effort in tackling insecurity in the region. He cited his recent directive to the police and the Armed Forces to arrest and prosecute those responsible for kidnapping, vandalism and unrest in the area. He described hostage takers and vandals as criminals and terrorists.
Obasanjo said the objective of GGESS is to provide a forum for collaborative efforts with stakeholders to ensure energy security and orderly development of the Niger Delta in an atmosphere of peace. It is also to make the Gulf of Guinea a haven of peace, security and stability.
He disclosed that some identified challenges have been addressed and that oil theft, which was one of the main accelerators of conflict as well as supply routes of illegal weapons, has declined from about 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the first quarter of 2003 to about 20,000 bpd.
Also, the supply of illegal weapons from international arms dealers continues to be of great concern, although the Federal Government disarmed about 3,000 militias in the Niger Delta in late 2004, the President said.
“It is regrettable that some have fallen back to their old habits. Again, we are doing everything possible to address this challenge and ensure peace in the region.
“The Gulf of Guinea Energy Security Strategy brings together the key players that must work together on the challenges that we face in the Niger Delta. The state governments and oil companies have their own initiatives but there must be some uniformity to ensure a coordinated approach that will maximise our chance of success,” he told the meeting.
Harping on the need for international cooperation, Obasanjo said, “while Nigeria can make sustained and significant efforts to address domestic issues of corruption, oil theft and illegal weapons, it can do only little about the international financial institutions that are used to launder money stolen from Nigeria, or the illicit or underground market where oil stolen from Nigeria is sold.
“It is in these areas, among others, that we need and value the willingness and support of our international partners”.
Nigeria is committed to bringing peace, growth and holistic development to the Niger Delta in the context of sustainable development programmes that fully engage the local populace in the creation of a healthy and economically vibrant community, the President added.
The GGESS is working with the military to equip and upgrade the amphibious capability of the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta.
Other areas include the invitation of Nigeria to participate in the Experimental Programme for Maritime Domain Awareness with a U.S. team comprising mainly computer and radar personnel visiting Nigeria and holding talks; provision of censors and other relevant equipment to support Nigeria to conform to international codes and organisations� requirements; and for the U.S. and British commitment to help train the Nigerian police in community policing.
It was established in 2005 by Nigeria and the United States following growing unrest in the Niger Delta and the attendant political and economic implications.
Britain later joined while Canada, Switzerland, Netherlands and Norway attended the meeting in Abuja as observers. They are expected to become full members after the current session.
Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Funso Kupolokun, is Obasanjo�s envoy to lead the initiative while Nigeria�s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Christopher Kolade, would provide diplomatic support to GGESS.
Briefing newsmen during the session, Kupolokun said the meeting deliberated on issues like oil theft, illegal bunkering, sustainable development and money laundering.
He said the international partners have agreed with Nigeria on the application of fingerprint technology to the nation�s crude oil as part of the plan stop crude oil theft.