Nigeria players ‘should boost social efforts’
Photo by Reuters
Oilfield security in Nigera would improve if oil companies boosted their
community development efforts, Emmanuel Egbogah, special petroleum adviser
to Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua, said.
"They need to do more," Emmanuel Egbogah told reporters after a panel
discussion at the Offshore Technology Conference of industry challenges
around the world.
The interview followed an exchange between Egbogah and fellow panel member
Patrick Pouyanne of French oil giant Total, who expressed concern about the
level of security in Nigeria.
Egbogah said the Nigerian government was doing its part, Reuters reported.
Nigerian oil production has been plagued by attacks on pipelines and other
infrastructure by militants who complain that local communities are not
benefiting enough from oil.
When Pouyanne, Total's senior vice president of exploration and production,
questioned Nigerian security, Egbogah jumped in to suggest companies spend
more to improve nearby communities.
"Maybe your investment needs to be higher to solve the security problem. To
say that this issue of security is completely the responsibility of the host
government is not correct. I think everybody has a part to play," Egbogah
said.
"Some of the problems that created some of the security issues have been as a
result of the non-performance of the international oil companies," Egbogah
told reporters.
Members of the panel agreed that one of the challenges faced by oil companies
is fulfilling social responsibilities in underdeveloped oil-producing
countries.
Egbogah said the government of Nigeria was working hard to keep the peace and
has had some success.
"We believe we are making progress, despite the fact that from time to time
you hear about something that is breaking news," Egbogah said.
Production has recovered substantially since the worst interruptions, he said.
With the lifting this week of a force majeure on production by ExxonMobil,
Nigerian output has risen from less than 1.5 million barrels per day to 2
million or 2.2 million, he said.
"We'll not only hold that level, we'll improve upon that," he told reporters.
08 May 2008 04:57 GMT
| last updated:
08 May 2008 06:03 GMT
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