The Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, has directed the Defense Joint Monitoring Team to ensure the achievement of the presidential mandate to produce 2.2 million barrels of crude oil in the Niger Delta region by December 2024.
General Musa issued this directive during the official inauguration of the Defense Joint Monitoring Team at the Six Division of the Nigerian Army, PortHarcourt on Wednesday, 12 September, 2024
The CDS, who emphasized the need for the team to enhance security for lives and property in their operational areas, stressed the importance of professionalism and teamwork, just as he also warned that the team cannot afford to fail in its mandate to secure critical national assets.
He also expressed concern about the ongoing illegal bunkering activities in the region but praised the team for the recent improvement in oil production over the past three weeks.
“For the past weeks we have been on this issue of how to increase and improve on the security and the production of crude oil within the oil-producing areas.
“And today, we actually inaugurated the Defense Joint Monitory Team and then later on we will also inaugurate the Defense Joint Infusion Center.
“Today’s inauguration is to officially announce this to the public, but they’ve already started work for weeks now, and the essence is for them to see how they can assist in improving the performance of all the security agencies, all the stakeholders,” Musa said.
“So, they’re going to be there for everybody. The essence is for them to try and see where things are not being done properly, where there are gaps to be able to advise and have improvements on those aspects. It’s going to be a holistic approach.
“Mr President gave us the target (2.2 million barrels) to achieve that by 2024. And so we are working towards that, and I’m happy to announce that there’s been a remarkable increment.
“We have not gotten to where we want to but we are heading there.
Speaking further, General MUSA said, “I want to thank members of the communities, the state government, and all stakeholders working in the oil-producing areas. They have been remarkable. There have been improvements in what we are doing in the security aspect.
“And then we want to encourage them not to support anyone that is here to sabotage these efforts. We are going to be very decisive about it, and anyone that is caught will be prosecuted. But we are happy that we are getting all the support that we are having so far, and the president is really happy about it”, he added.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Defense Joint Monitoring Team, Major General Jal Jimoh, expressed gratitude to the Chief of Defense Staff for the trust placed in them.
He assured that the team would fully implement its terms of reference.
Thegazellenews.com reports that the Defense Joint Monitoring Team includes representatives from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Defense, and the Rivers State Government.
