By Sumaila Ogbaje
A non-governmental organisation, Ayudantes Empowerment Initiative (AEI) has hailed the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) report on Nigeria’s crude oil production.
NAN reports that OPEC said Nigeria’s crude oil production increased from 1.307 million barrels per day in July to 1.352mbpd in August.
The Executive Director of AEI, Mr Amechi Oyema, made this known while briefing newsmen on the assessment of the military operations in curbing oil theft in the Niger Delta, on Friday in Abuja.
He said that this couldn’t have been possible without the role the military played in checking oil theft in Nigeri.
Oyema said the menace of oil theft has had severe consequences on the nation’s economy, hindering growth, fostering corruption, and depriving Nigeria the much-needed resources for development.
He said that President Bola Tinubu, had in July, tasked security chiefs to device strategies to tackle the menace.
He added that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chrisopher Musa, had after the meeting, promised that the military was taking steps to crack down on crude oil thieves.
According to Oyema, Musa also assured Nigerians that the military would play its part in ensuring that the country met its production target of 2.1 million barrels per day.
“We are here today to assess if the armed forces under Gen. Musa has kept their promises.
“Our assessment took us to speak to different sources related to the oil industry and we got their views on the present state of affairs.
“We are here to inform Nigerians that the July directive by the CDS is already yielding results.
“Recent reports of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) say there is an increment in oil production in Nigeria.
“This group attributes it to on-going military operations across the Niger-Delta,’’ he said.
Oyema said the recent report revealed that Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production rose by 3.4 per cent to 1.352 million barrels in August according to the latest data published by OPEC.
“This, in the eyes of the ordinary person may not be much, but it is a significant shift. Rather than going down, it is now coming up.
“We therefore appeal to residents of the oil producing areas to support our military in these operations, which will positively affect our economy.
“We urge the CDS and his team to keep up the good works and Nigerians are looking up to them,’’ he added.
NAN reports that the development comes on the heels of dwindling crude oil production in recent times.
According to the report, in May, Nigeria’s daily oil production further dipped to 1.25 million barrels per day.
OPEC data showed that Nigeria lost 30,000bpd, with crude production dropping from 1.28mbpd in April to 1.25mbpd in May.
Nigeria’s dwindling daily oil production improved in April, rising marginally from 1.23 million barrels per day in March to 1.28mbpd, according to OPEC.
The organisation stated that Nigeria’s oil production added 50,000 barrels daily in April after it fell in recent times.
The nation’s crude production fell from 1.32 million barrels per day in February to 1.23 million barrels per day in March.
NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA