Ogbuefi Jonathan...Nigeria's multi-billionaire President whose little corner stinks to high heavens. In this high priest's country, over 110 million people live on less than a dollar per day; over 10 million girls are not in school and the hapless Chibok girls are still in captivity after six months, all because this very crassly insensitive man doesn't just care! "I don't give a damn!" He often tells his people when it comes to the question of accountability. All he ever cares about are his billions and 2015.
A TASK AT HAND
The continued discoveries of illegal, local makeshift oil refineries in the Niger Delta creeks of the country by the joint security task force, although still worrisome, in my own opinion, has now become a food for thought considering the number of these local refineries which have been destroyed in the past and the present number still being discovered by the security task force teams.
How long will this continue? Some persons may say: "As long as it takes!" But when a situation continues to persist and linger for a long time without showing encouraging signs of abating, thereby causing a whirl wind pattern, then it is pertinent and necessary to look at other angles for possible solutions different to the ones we have at present.
THE SECURITY CHALLENGE
While we are tackling this problem from the security angle, and having done a lot to put a stop to this economic sabotage, it is also rational to consider other angles or reasons why all efforts to put a stop to the construction of local oil refineries is facing a very stiff challenge. Using security force alone to combat this problem is not enough and will not make much impact. It is like attempting to kill a tree by cutting its leaves and branches only, while leaving its roots untouched or not knowing how to get to it. Surely, we all know that such a tree will not die, but continue to resurface itself by growing new branches and leaves!
THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
However, when we look at and consider the socio-economic factors of the continued construction of these illegal, local oil refineries, we see a people yearning to be a part of the economic activity of the abundant natural resources in its region or locality; a people who feel they have been marginalised and shut out of the benefits of its own naturally endowed resources and a people saying that they have what it takes to partake in the oil and gas industry.
THE PROBLEM SEEN FROM A DIFFERENT LIGHT
These local illegal oil refineries can been seen from a different light as applied local technology which can be harnessed or developed by the government to provide technical know how and skills for the locals, and improve on the local content workforce in its oil and gas industry. Such encouragement through government policies for its citizens is the back bone of industrialisation and economic reforms in any country.
This approach to socio-economic issues has worked well in countries like Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China, Venezuela to mention, but a few. Their governments sat down to a round table discussion with concerned interests and decided to encourage what their citizens were good at or trying to achieve, and also considered promising industries which were nowhere at that time, because of their inferior products, but have now over the years achieved world standard. For example,Taiwan is now a house hold name in electronics and computing products like cell phone handsets, tablets, laptops, etc.
India and Malaysia now manufacture vehicles and other technical equipment.
China has improved on many of its products as most Western nations manufacture their products there. Some of these countries which have oil have a well represented and active local content workforce with competitive technical know how/skills in their oil and gas industries.
A CLOSING NOTE
To what extent and direction has the government considered the whole situation: security or socio-economic wise, is crucial to solving this problem. Socio-economic issues have always led to security challenges and also holds the key to solving them. It is time to consider the continued discovery of illegal local oil refineries along the Niger Delta creeks from a different perspective - socio-economically.
