As the controversy rages over large scale theft of Nigeria’s crude oil, President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), John Udeagbala says a NACCIMA issued certificate of origin for export products when optimized as an authentication tool can help curb the menace of oil theft and illegal offshore sales of the country’s crude oil.

Udeagbala, who said this on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, during a visit to the Chairman of Bonny Chiefs Council, Se-Alabo Dagogo Claude-Wilcox at his residence in Bonny, Rivers State, averred that this would curb the illegal sale of the country’s prime export product.    

“The export documents which is related to every good that goes out of the country is called certificate of origin. It confirms eligibility and also shows that the goods are coming from a particular country. NACCIMA issues that certificate of origin on behalf of government in Nigeria.”

“We have been struggling with Federal Government and recently the government saw with us. If NACCIMA has been issuing certificate of origin there is no how we will be having crude theft. So, we have made investigations on behalf of NACCIMA and our crude exports.”

The NACCIMA President, who is in Bonny Island for the maiden investiture of the President of the Bonny Kingdom Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Amairigha Edward Hart, explained that this move would be akin to the certificate of origin that was issued for the sale of diamonds coming from Sierra Leone, informing that this measure helped to checkmate sales of illegally obtained diamonds from the West African country.

“If you all will recall during the days of diamonds in Sierra Leone, we had what was called then blood diamonds until the authentication was done that only diamonds that have that stamp originating from Sierra Leone will be acceptable in the markets.”

“Why I came into crude is to inform that already we have made a representation to the Federal Government to look into this measure. If we wanted to rock the boat, it is just to place and advert that the certificate of origin did not emanate from NACCIMA and if I do that, of course you know where I would be.”

He thanked Se-Alabo Claude-Wilcox for the warm reception, asserting that it was the culture in NACCIMA to engage her stakeholders in the move to entrench corporate culture and business development drive for its members and chambers, adding that he and his entourage were in Bonny for the investiture of the BOCCIMA President.

“We are here to pay homage. We are here to let you know that in NACCIMA, it is our tradition wherever we go to come and pay homage. The inauguration of the president is very dear to us.”

Responding, the Chairman, Bonny Chiefs Council, Se-Alabo Dagogo Claude-Wilcox, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, thanked his guests for the honour done the Traditional Institution of Bonny Kingdom by their visit, informing the NACCIMA President and his entourage of the intentionality of the Kingdom to reposition the business environment for investment to thrive.   

The former Nigerian Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with concurrent accreditation to the Republics of Rwanda and Burundi stated that blessed with multifarious potentials for investment and economic growth, Bonny Island remains the new destination for investors to visit and tap into its various opportunities.