FG purchases software to combat oil theft, according to the ministry

Timipre Sylva, the minister of state for petroleum resources, said over the weekend that the federal government had purchased “state-of-the-art software and devices” to combat the rising oil theft in the oil-producing area.

The minister delivered a speech at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, graduation in 2022. He was represented by Gabriel Aduda, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The diploma from the institution was awarded to 1,166 graduates in total.

“This administration is working diligently to stop crude oil theft, which has decreased government revenue and foreign currency income,” Sylva said. The nation has lost an estimated 700,000 barrels of oil per day to theft. The decrease in crude oil output is the result, which is bad.

These illicit actions are not occurring in the shadows. Therefore, it is crucial that locals take part in solving the issue. Similar to this, the Federal Government has invested in cutting-edge tools and software to track and identify crude oil theft in real time.

The federal government, according to the minister, is assisting in the development of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park in Odukpani, Cross River State.

He said that the park’s foundation was set in 2018 and that it will likely be finished by the third quarter of 2022.

According to Sylva, the park would foster low-cost manufacturing that would generate equipment parts and spares for the Nigerian oil and gas sector.

The project’s completion, he said, will help the economy of the country by lowering the need for foreign currency for equipment imports and opening up job prospects for PTI graduates.

Dr. Henry Adimula, PTI’s Principal and Chief Executive Officer, had earlier said that PTI, which is also commemorating its 50th anniversary, has stayed constant on its vision and objectives, which were based on competence and ability.