Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF), Operations Delta Safe (OPDS), Rear Adm. Noel Madugu, says only meaningful collaboration with private pipeline surveillance firms like Tantita Security Surveillance Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL) can guarantee the fulfilment of their mandate of achieving crude oil production of three million barrels per day.
Rear Admiral Madugu made the remark when the JTF hierarchy visited the Managing Director of TSSNL, Chief Kestin Pondi, on Tuesday at the company’s operational head office in Ugborikoko, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
“I have a mandate, same as Tantita, that crude oil production must rise to between 2.5 million bpd and 3 million bpd.
“This mandate cannot be achieved without collaboration with all necessary stakeholders.
“I believe before the end of 2025, we will achieve or surpass the 2.5 million mandate,” he said.
Madugu, who was accompanied by Navy Capt. Ikenna Okoloagu, the Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Escravos of the Nigerian Navy, advised Tantita to do more sensitisation, carry communities along, and provide more corporate social responsibilities to the people.
He thanked the management of Tantita for the reception and assured the company of a stronger collaboration.
“On assumption of duty as Commander of OPDS, I said I must go round all my areas of responsibilities, including Tantita and other private surveillance companies,” he hinted.
Earlier, the Managing Director of TSSNL, Chief Kestin Pondi, craved a stronger synergy between the company and JTF in the fight against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Pondi acknowledged the huge roles government agencies play in the success of Tantita’s operations, reiterating that many persons had shed their blood to ensure that crude oil production increased.
“We want a stronger collaboration to sustain what we have achieved and also push further to achieve more.
“Without you, we cannot achieve this success. To get to where we are today, many people have shed their blood.
“Our staff are shot every now and then, we have also lost people, the military and civil defence have also lost persons in the fight against illegalities.
“Without the collaboration with the JTF, I do not think we can face the perpetrators.
“So this collaboration is something we cannot underestimate; we need it always to ensure that Nigeria gets improved crude oil production,” he said.
Pondi noted that there had not been any incidents of oil theft in Delta in the past four months.
He, however, said that there were pockets of issues in Bayelsa and Rivers within the same period.
The Managing Director said that beyond improving the nation’s crude oil output, the engagement of Tantita had also improved the coastal ecosystem.
“It was a terrible situation in the Niger Delta as it concerns the environment and as it concerns us as a nation when our oil production was hovering between 700,000 and 800,000 bpd.
“Today, our environment is getting cleaner, aquatic life has returned, children can now swim in our rivers. These are possible with the collaboration with the JTF.
“We adopt different methods, including the carrot and stick approach, where we advise the people. We are happy with the collaboration with the JTF.
“While we have our areas of responsibilities, we also have a contract that empowers us to do certain things.
“If we suspect any barge carrying products, we can double-check its documents to see that it conforms with what they have in their portal,” he said.
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