Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday said that the Federal and State Governments were committed to ensure the quick repair of the vandalised crude pipeline at Focardos Export Terminal to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

Addressing journalists after a fact finding visit on repair work at the terminal, Prof. Osinbajo condemned the act of vandalism, explaining that it was as bad as any kind of terrorism and would not be tolerated by the government because it has an adverse effect on the economy.

“Federal government is working with the state and Shell Petroleum Development Company to ensure that the damaged pipeline is repaired quickly because government is losing a lot of money since that terminal stopped working, About 300,000 barrels of crude oil daily is shut in which is a great loss to our economy,” he said

“Pipeline vandalism is what we are trying to curtail and we are beefing up security in the area to ensure that such incident does not happen again because it has also affected gas production in the country resulting in the epileptic power supply being experienced in the country,” he added.

The Vice President noted that the damages on the pipeline is responsible for the poor generation of gas which has also negatively affected power generation in the country

Also speaking, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said that the Focardos Terminal was important to the state and Federal Government as it was the Export Terminal used by Shell Petroleum Development Company to evacuate product for sale, stressing that “all production on land, both crude and gas, by Shell has been reduced and this is affecting power supply in the country.”

He expressed hope that the repair works on the damaged pipeline would be completed by May ending for operations to commence saying “we were briefed by Shell that the repair works on the pipeline will be completed by May ending, it means that the terminal will become functional soon.” (Channels TV)

•Photo shows Prof. Osinbajo.

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