Akpabio to seek FG’s support over closed oil wells

Governor Godswill Akpabio has promised to seek the support of the Federal Government over the 32 oil wells allegedly locked up 17 years ago by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of the state.
Akpabio, who made the promise on Thursday when a group, led by the local government chairman, Mr Francis Charles, met him at a stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, the state capital,  expressed sadness that the oil wells explored 17 years ago were still being locked up when there was need for an increase in daily oil production in the country.
“It is in the overall interest of Nigeria to improve on daily production of oil, and I do not see any reason why so many millions of barrels of oil would not come to those 17 years,” Akpabio said.
He promised to take up the matter with the Federal Government to prevail on Shell and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to do everything to get the wells functional in the area.
The governor also said he would intervene in the boundary issues between the local government and other surrounding local government areas.
Earlier, the chairman of the council, Mr  Charles, explained the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to appeal for support from the government on the oil wells.