Akpabio chairs oil theft summit

The scourge of oil theft, violence and poverty in the Niger Delta would engage the attention of governors in the region and other stakeholders at a special summit which holds at Le Meridien Hotel & Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from March 21-22, 2013.

The two-day summit organised by CLEEN Foundation in collaboration with the BRACED Commission and with support from Ford Foundation (West Africa) would be chaired by the host governor, Godswill Akpabio.

According to a joint statement issued by the facilitators of the summit, the governors of the Niger Delta states, the ministers of finance and petroleum resources, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Diezani Alison-Madueke, respectively, are expected to grace the occasion which would feature all stakeholders in the oil and gas sector value chain.

Other participants at the summit include officials of security agencies in the region, allied agencies namely NUPENG, TUC; oil companies, civil society organisations, lawmakers, traditional rulers of oil-bearing communities, MDAs, community based organisations etc.

The objective of the summit is to create a framework for a more inclusive and participatory way of dealing with oil theft in the Niger Delta as well as to mobilise stakeholders and host communities to collaborate for the peace and development of the region.