Abia partners with military to tackle drop in oil production

The Abia State Government has promised to play a major role in tackling the drop in crude oil production in Nigeria.

Governor Alex Otti made this promise on Wednesday at his country home in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South LGA of the state when he received a delegation of the Defence Headquarters Joint Monitoring Team.

Otti, who decried the drastic drop in crude oil production in Nigeria, said it formed part of his discussion during his recent visit to the National Security Adviser.

According to the governor, figures available to him for June, July and August put the average oil production level in Nigeria at 1.4 million barrels per day, which to him was far below Nigeria’s crude oil quota of 2.2 million barrels per day.

The governor, who recalled that 20 years ago, Nigeria’s crude oil production capacity was about 2.5 million barrels per day, said that the drop in the oil production affects exports, which in turn affects foreign exchange earnings.

He identified oil theft and the insurrection in the Niger Delta as among the factors affecting Nigeria’s crude oil production.