Discovery of crude oil, gas in the North

President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime will go down in history as one that inspires the youth and the entire citizenry on creativity, innovation, quality leadership and on what former US President wrote “The Audacity of Hope”. He does not only bring and incites hope, but does what Jesse Jackson calls “keeps hope alive”. He resumed the […]

President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime will go down in history as one that inspires the youth and the entire citizenry on creativity, innovation, quality leadership and on what former US President wrote “The Audacity of Hope”. He does not only bring and incites hope, but does what Jesse Jackson calls “keeps hope alive”. He resumed the search for crude oil and gas in all the river basins in Nigeria. Furthermore, he initiated the Lekki  Sea Port Project, the Ruga project, the North East Development Commission, the Mambila Hydro Power project , to mention a few.  The visit by the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development to Dukku cattle ranch, signify the beginning of the 21st Century Ruga project in Gombe state.

Now, crude oil and gas have been discovered in the North East region.  The report on the discovery of the black gold was received with joy and jubilations. This discovery provides impetus for continuation of intensive and extensive searches in other river basins in Nigeria. To North-Easterners and Bauchi State indigenes in particular, it is one of PMB’ Midas touches. Hope incitement, hope building and hope realization are the key functions in good quality leadership. This discovery and the relative peace have brought a new dawn on the people of the North East Zone.  But it also calls for caution because of challenges that are inherent in the Oil and Gas Industry. If and when addressed in a timely manner and holistically, such challenges are easily overcome.

The exploitation of black gold anywhere on earth comes with challenges that include insecurity, environmental degradation and pollution, cultural, political, economic, subsidy addiction, demographic, sociological and inequalities. If not checked and managed well these problems lead to what is called “The Natural Resource Curse”. In their book “Escaping the Resource Curse” Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, Jeffrey Sachs and Macarten Humphrey established a strong relationship between resource wealth and weak democratic development, chronic corruption, criminality, nativism, ethnicity, chauvinisms, jingoism, inequalities that lead to serious insecurity challenges. Economists have identified Economic inequality and Opportunity inequality in societies where natural resources are poorly managed. They also went further to identified three different kinds of economic inequalities: the traditional gap between the rich and the poor, the disgruntled, and the envious. John Edward identified the rich and the privileged; the poor and the put-upon. Research studies show that oil and gas industry create confrontational groups instead of competing groups. In addition to oil spillage, gas pollution, relocation with attendant cultural and sociological impacts, boundary conflicts may also arise.

The most important capital in harnessing natural resources is sincerity of purpose. In this part of the country, history has shown that from our ancient civilization to empires, kingdoms city states and to date, people believe in efficient and effective management of our resources, not resource control. Not long ago, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, former Prime Minister of Nigeria, the late Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and others managed our cotton, groundnuts, beni seeds, hide and skin, potash, tin and columbite, to financed our struggle for independence and post-independence sustainable projects like the Kainji dam, railways and educational institutions. Now, these produce and other mineral resources will be complimented by oil and gas industry. Vibrant economic activities in the region are certain.

The North East is just recovering and recuperating from the pangs of the insurgency. A reliable revenue generating portfolio is now on the North East Development Commission’s menu. A holistic approach in planning the upcoming Oil and Gas Industry to mitigate the challenges is called for. The Saudi Arabian, Russian, Texan and the Canadian models could be studied. States should set up agencies in preparation for the dawn stream and upstream activities.  The state from where the discoveries were made must key in their plans into that of the Federal government for the exploitation and plans to mitigate the hazards in the activities. For full benefits to accrue to the host communities, local entrepreneurs should be engaged to play their roles.

Oil and gas like gold, diamond and uranium are global commodities that generate feelings within a country and outside. Some are good and some hard feelings. It also attracts attention and reactions.   For long, Nigeria has been courting cordial relations with neighbors. The Lake Chad region has been a source of conflict apparently because of oil activities in Chad Republic and potential discovery on the Nigerian side. It has created breeding grounds for criminals and insurgents.  In addition to other sources of power and energy in the country,  the upcoming gas plants from Kombani oil fields, the Mambila Hydro Electric, Kashimbila Hydro Electric, and the Dadin Kowa Hydro Electric projects will ensure power and energy security in Nigeria. Exportable ones will provide windows for diplomacy, to ensure cordial relations with our Francophone neighbors and their mentor: France.

Now that technology has improved and Nigeria is opportune to have a tested and tried leader with sincerity of purpose, the management of newly discovered and those very much likely to be discovered in Anambra Basin, Benue trough, Bida Basin, Sokoto/ Rima Basin, Gongola Basin, Chad Basin and Hadeija/Jama’are River Basin to mention few, should not slid into the hands of someone whose integrity and sincerity of purpose is in doubt. These developments will certainly change behavior of citizens in some quarters more especially in areas the discoveries were made. The search in the region was abandoned when Gen. Sani Abatcha died. Nobody looked at it again except the duo of PMB and V.P Osinbajo. The challenges associated with Oil and Gas Industry are daunting.

In addition to social, cultural, economical, sociological and demographic behavioral changes, political changes are inevitable. To the average North Easterner, these new developments have added some items on PMB’s and  V.P.Osinbajo’s plate. PMB, V.P. Osinbajo and other Nigerians should understand, excuse and forgive some people in a zone who have been praying for long and their prayers were answered during their tenure, whose total registered voters  oscillates between 2nd and 3rd largest in the country, may, out of appreciation and honor for the regime’s successful effort, greater expectations for prosperity, joy and happiness and believe in the duo to ensure full realization of the benefits,  feel, or even express that the remaining four years provided for in the 1999 constitution AS AMENDED is not enough for the two to finish the plate before them.

 

Ayuba Buba Kinafa, a management consultant, wrote from Gombe