ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Senate on Thursday hinted that attacks on major oil pipelines in Warri area of Delta State by suspected Niger Delta militants has caused colossal damages to the National Integrated Power Plants (NIPPs), resulting in loss of about 1,000 megawatts of gas-generated electricity.
Addressing Senate correspondents after plenary on the development, the joint Senate Committees on Gas, Downstream, Upstream, led by Senator Tayo Alasoadura, condemned in totality the fresh uprising and blowing up of pipelines in the Niger Delta region.
Alasoadura condemned the unpatriotic acts of some vandals, who have decided to blow up pipelines at this time of national emergency, when the dwindling price of oil and the insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria are confronting Nigeria.
“It is very disheartening that at a time when all hands should be on deck to revive the economy and ensure the survival of the country.
“Some people could decide at this point in time in the history of the nation to further sabotage the efforts of the present administration to bring some sanity into our country.
“It is, therefore, apt for the Senate to condemn strongly, and make an ambiguous language this dastardly act that portends to send the hands of the clock backwards,” he said.
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According to him, the sabotage has led to the shutting down of the two refineries that had just started working in few months.
“They should give respite to Nigerians so that we can see some governance. It is not good enough for an administration to be fighting one war there, and they are waging another there. When will he have time to govern? So, please help us appeal to them so that Nigeria can move forward,” he said.
Also speaking, chairman Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Albert Bassey, added that the explosion affected the major gas pipelines in the country.
“The Committee on Gas had invited the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), and they have made us to understand that the country will be loosing over 200 million scores of cubic feet of gas on a daily basis, which is equivalent to 1,000 megawatt of electricity.
“This is the gas terminal that supplies Egbin and most of the NIPPs along the South Western region of this country.
“In a period, where we are grappling with the challenges of domestic gas supply, we believe very strongly that it should be condemned,” he said.