Don seeks resumption of oil exploration in Lake Chad Basin

A lecturer with Nasarawa State University, Keffi, has urged the Federal Government to resume Oil and Gas exploration activities in the Lake Chad Basin and other areas of the North.

Dr Sadiq Rajab made the call on Friday in Keffi. He said that the significance of oil exploration in the Chad Basin would boost the economic fortunes of the country.

The search for oil in Nigeria’s Chad basin, which is adjacent to Niger Republic, Cameroon and Chad, had been on for three decades.

He explained that oil exploration in the area would increase the nation’s earnings in view of the current economic challenges and the hostilities of Niger Delta Avengers.

The don added that exploration would provide employment for thousands of the youths, reduce poverty and insecurity in the region.

Rajab stressed the need for the federal government to assist the states that have oil to engage multinational oil companies to develop the community.

He said that states alone could not shoulder the responsibility of engaging multinational cooperation to harness the oil in the Lake Chad basin and the north.

“We are appealing to the federal government to assist those states that oil is discovered in them to be able to develop it for national development,’’ Rajab said.

Similarly, the don advised the federal government to support farmers with 20,000 tractors to boost rice production in the country.

He said that if the federal government wants to put an end to rice importation, it must assist real farmers with the necessary farm implements to ensure massive production.

“I am confident if government assists farmers with such implements, we will not have business with rice importation either through the sea or land next year.

“We are not asking government to provide free tractors to farmers rather it will be based on loan at a subsidised rate.

“It is brightest idea for the federal government to encourage farming, but it must assist farmers to achieve the desire result,’’ Rajab said.

Besides, Rajab called on governors to provide at least 5,000 tractors to farmers in their state annually in order to encourage farming and improve their Internally Generated Revenue.

According to him, if federal and state governments pay enough attention to agriculture, it will develop the nation’s economy in no distance time.

Rajab commended President Muhammadu Buhari for taking steps to diversify the nation’s economy in order to reduce too much dependency on petroleum resources.