The Senate yesterday announced that it had invited international experts with capacity to track illegal vessels being used by oil bunkering barons to steal Nigeria?s crude oil from the Niger Delta region of the country.

The Chairman, Senate adhoc Committee on Crude oil theft, Senator Ned Nwoko, (APC Delta North) disclosed this when he received executives of the Youth Wing of the HOSTCOM and Pipelines Impacted States Council of Nigeria led by their President, Fiawei Emmanuel Pathfinder, in his office.

This emerged as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday accused Sterling Oil, an energy company operating in the country, of stealing Nigeria?s crude and jobs meant for Nigerians.

President of PENGASSAN, Mr. Festus Osifo, made the allegation against the company when the association picketed Sterling Oil?s office in Lagos.

In its reaction to the allegations by PENGASSAN, Sterling Oil in a statement stressed that it abides by Nigerian laws and reaffirmed its commitment to employee welfare. The company said it has taken the allegations by PENGASSAN with utmost seriousness, arguing that it displayed a commitment to resolve the issue and address any concerns by open, transparent, and constructive dialogue with the Union.

Continuing, Nwoko said his Committee would soon organise a public hearing comprising all stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, including policy makers, major industry players, security agencies, traditional institutions and youth groups across the region to discuss ways to address the disturbing cases of crude oil theft in Nigeria.

He said, ?I can tell you straight away that we have been able to engage some international experts who can trace movement of vessels, both legal ones and illegal ones.

?They (experts) will be able to also trace every payment that is attached to each vessel.

?They will trace them to wherever they are. It could be in New York. It could be in Marbella in Spain. It doesn?t matter where. We have gotten those who can help us. First to retrieve the money that arose from stolen crude.

?And also to make sure that we curtail or minimise or stop if possible, the instances of crude oil being stolen.

?In the next week or so, you will see the advert in the papers and other videos. Inviting all the stakeholders.

?Stakeholders from the military, to the police, to the International Oil Companies, all of them, including the regulators, the NNPC, all of them and the shipping companies, the NIMASA and agencies like that. They will all be here.?

Speaking further, he said: ?We are not leaving behind the host communities. You will all be there. So I like your second letter, which you didn?t read.?

He described his new responsibility as a very important national assignment and that his panel would not witch-hunt anybody but would track all those who are involved in the illegal lifting of the nation?s crude oil.

Nwoko also said he got the assurances of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio that there should be no sacred cows who should be spared in the course of the assignment.

Nwoko said, ?For me this is a very important national assignment. I understand the problems that we?re trying to solve.

?And I can assure you that with your support, and support of all the other stakeholders, we will achieve a great deal of success.

?I?m aware of the problems that the communities have faced over time. But you know, if all things were to work out well, the compensation or payments that host communities are meant to get, will be more if there?s more crude production.

?The more the production that we have, the more you people will be taken care of.?

He also pledged that his committee would look into the areas of organising and reforming the areas of local crude oil refining as being done in other civilised societies of the World.?

Pathfinder, who led the HOSTCON Youth Council of Nigeria to the Senate, pledged to mobilise youths across the region to provide useful information that would enable the Nwoko-led panel, succeed in its assignment.

The group also seized the occasion, to honour the Senator with its highest award called the ?Credence of Honour.?

PENGASSAN Alleges Stealing of Nigeria?s Crude Oil, Jobs by Indian Operator, Sterling Oil

Meanwhile, PENGASSAN has accused Sterling Oil, an energy company operating in the country of stealing Nigeria?s crude and jobs meant for Nigerians.

President of PENGASSAN, Mr. Festus Osifo, made the allegation against the company yesterday when the association picketed Sterling Oil?s office in Lagos.

Osifo also alleged that Sterling Oil sometime in the past illegally drilled five oil wells instead of three permitted it by the authorities and that the agencies of government were watching helplessly without taking action to sanction the company.

He said the company has taken over all the jobs in the company that should be for Nigerians, leaving teeming graduates in the country suffering joblessness.

?In a country where people are suffering, where graduates are roaming the streets, no work, we are allowing Indians to man everything.

?The crude belongs to us in Nigeria. We even heard at a time that they were giving permits to drill three oil wells, and they ended up drilling five, and nobody did anything.

?This is stealing. They are stealing Nigerian crude. And our agencies will all fold their arms and be watching. We said, no, enough is enough?, Osifo alleged.

Alleging that the company has committed several anti-labour practices and contravened the country?s Labour Act, he said the company has Indians doing everything, including kitchen staff.

?The cooks are even Indians. And we are closing our eyes and allowing this illegality to happen,? he further alleged.

The PENGASSAN national president also stated that the chief executive officer, chief operating officer and top managers of Sterling Oil had been declared wanted in India, adding that it showed that they had committed a lot of atrocities in their home country, while Nigeria welcomed them.

Osifo alleged further, ?And it is also worthy to note that the CEO and COO and top managers of this company have been declared wanted in India.

?They cannot even travel to their land. As we speak today, it shows that they?ve committed a lot of atrocities in their homeland. And we welcome them with open hands here.

?We are not against investors, not at all. But you must play according to the rules. Chevron, ExxonMobil, they are American companies. TotalEnergies is a French company.

?NAOC before Oando came in, they were from Italy, right? Shell, Dutch, UK. Today, they are playing to a large extent by the rules. And these companies I have called are responsible for producing about 90 per cent of Nigerian crude.

?But Sterling came into Nigeria and they are cutting corners and doing a lot of illegalities. So, for us, enough is enough. If you go to these companies I have called, Today, the MD of Shell is a Nigerian. People manning all the principal positions, majorly are Nigerians. If you go to Chevron, you have the hierarchy as Nigerians. But when you come to Sterling, I want you to do investigative journalism.

?Find out how many Nigerians are managers in Sterling? How many Nigerians are general managers in Sterling? Outside the HR manager, I?m not sure you will see any other Nigerian in any of those positions in Sterling. If Indians could be panel operators, simple operations that somebody who went to secondary school with five credits can be trained to carry out (vulcanisers, gate men), what skill do you need to be a gate man? But our government, they?ve all folded their arms and they are just watching helplessly.

?So, for us, we are not helpless. That is why we are here today to let the world know the illegality that this company is perpetrating and we plan to sustain it,? he added.

However, on the welfare of his members and how companies take care of their welfare packages in the oil and gas industry, Osifo said Sterling stands as one of the companies in the upstream sector that have the most abysmal welfare in terms of what they pay Nigerians working for them.

He said the company pay Nigerians in naira which has been severely devalued while the pay their Indian employees in foreign currency without any action by the Nigerian government.

?So, imagine how much they pay to these Indians. One of the ways with which they carry out their nefarious activities is that they will register over 100 companies. They?ll bring the 10,000 Indians with these different companies in order to circumvent Nigerian laws and our government, they are folding their arms and watching them,? he stated.

Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company: As responsible corporate citizens, we adhere to federal laws and industry regulations.

In its reaction to the allegations by PENGASSAN, Sterling Oil in a statement, ?categorically refuted any claims that misrepresent its dedication to fostering a fair and supportive working environment,? adding that it has over the years consistently engaged with relevant labor unions, including PENGASSAN, to ensure a harmonious and mutually beneficial relationship.

The statement read, ?Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) has taken the alleged issues by PENGASSAN with utmost seriousness and responded immediately, displaying a commitment to resolve the issue and address any concerns by open, transparent, and constructive dialogue with the Union.

?As responsible corporate citizens, we adhere to federal laws and industry regulations. Our unwavering commitment to the welfare of employees, host communities, and stakeholders enables us to maintain high standards in labor relations, environmental sustainability, and corporate governance.

?Further into the context of specific allegations by PENGASSAN, we would like to clarify that Sterling Oil (SEEPCO) abides by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Petroleum and natural gas senior staff association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Industrial Act and Laws of the federal republic of Nigeria to its letter and spirit.

?This intent has enabled SEEPCO to become the fastest growing indigenous company in the Oil and Gas Industry and the Company will continue its contribution to Nigeria?s economic growth, creation of local jobs, and security in energy sector by investing in local content development, skills acquisition programs, and community development initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life.

?We categorically refute any claims that misrepresent our dedication to fostering a fair and supportive working environment. Over the years, SEEPCO has consistently engaged with relevant labor unions, including PENGASSAN, to ensure a harmonious and mutually beneficial relationship.

?We urge PENGASSAN and all relevant stakeholders to engage with us in good faith and through appropriate channels to address any concerns. We remain open to dialogue and will continue to operate with integrity, ensuring that all our activities align with the highest ethical and professional standards.?

Also, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) did not respond to the allegations bordering on weak regulatory oversight as the agency?s Head of Public Affairs, Dr. Olaide Shonola did not respond to THISDAY?s enquiry on the matter. (THISDAY)

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