The Federal Government would soon send a proposal to the United Nations for decisive action to be taken by the international community to clampdown on illicit trade in stolen crude oil.
In a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Communications, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, the President made this disclosure while holding talks with the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Yasuo Fukuda and the President of the World Bank, Mr. Robert B. Zoellick, at the Summit of the group of eight industrialised nations (G-8, yesterday in Hokkaido, Japan.
The President appealed to the international community to treat stolen crude oil just the way it treats stolen diamonds because they are both natural resources.
“I appeal to you and through you to all other G8 leaders to support my new proposal which I will also discuss with UN Secretary General at my meeting with him, that stolen crude should be treated like stolen diamonds because they both generate blood money. Like what is now known as “blood diamond”, stolen crude also aids corruption and violence and can provoke war,” the President said.
He said that in concert with ongoing efforts to holistically address the developmental challenges of the Niger Delta, his administration was taking steps to “dismantle the criminal dimension” of the problem in the region, which, he said, was now being aggravated by some international cartels.
“The other aspect of the Niger Delta challenge is the criminal aspect, those who use the cover of militancy to steal our crude oil and engage in all forms of violence. We know how arms are brought in to support this criminality but we will tackle the menace together with the challenge of development,” President Yar’Adua declared.
Yar’Adua stated that his administration is committed to peace and security as a precondition for development which is the reason for the proposed Niger Delta Summit as “a platform where we will all agree on a programme of action” to redress the underdevelopment of the region.
“I believe we are on the verge of finding a permanent solution to the problem that has festered for decades. Right now, we are almost set for the Summit of Stakeholders that will form the bedrock of a permanent solution to the problem of political agitation. In the last one year, we have been having series of discussions with the stakeholders so that the summit will provide the platform where we will all agree on a programme of action for development and that agreement would be binding on all the actors,” President Yar’Adua.
The President also said that his administration will soon announce the establishment of an Infrastructure Concession Commission to encourage private investment in the development of roads, railways, power plants and other critical infrastructure in all parts of Nigeria.