The Governor said that the oil firms should accord priority to the imperative of meeting international best practice in carrying out their operations in the Niger Delta.
He stressed that demand for environmental justice and preservation should be the country concern of not only the Bayelsa on South South people but also the entire country because the environment was the common heritage of everybody. “So we need to collaborate more on issues of the environment. On our part as a state government, we want to assure you that we will continue to discharge our duty and obligation, working together with security agencies and community leaders to promote and maintain a conducive operating environment.”
The Governor reiterated his call on oil company to relocate their operation headquarters to Bayelsa which he described as the cradle of oil and gas business in Nigeria. In his remarks, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu identified the celebration of mediocrity as reason why the country has not made appreciable progress in the oil and gas industry.