Immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and editor of ThisDay Newspapers, Ms. Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, have been appointed into the Advisory Board of Seal the Crude, an advocacy programme on crude oil theft plaguing the economy of Nigeria.
While Uduaghan will chair the board, Nwogwugwu will bring her huge wealth of knowledge, experience and network in business and economy to help guide the work of the campaign.
A statement by the Programme Officer, Stephen Hemba, said Uduaghan would chair the board which comprises other representatives from the public and private sector, academia, international community and security circles among others, for an initial period of two years renewable for another term upon successful completion.
According to the statement, Uduaghan is bringing to the board a rich wealth of knowledge and experience on issues relating to oil theft as well as transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector of the economy.
As governor, he served as chairman of the Presidential Committee against Oil Theft in the immediate past dispensation in which capacity he championed government efforts and offered policy advisories aimed at curbing the menace.
His notable role in helping to bring about peace and stability in the once volatile creeks and oil-rich regions of the Niger Delta also aptly recommended him for the position.
As chairman of the board, he is expected to use his vast experience and understanding of the crude oil economy to help pilot the affairs of Seal the Crude Advocacy Programme through the provision of policy guidelines and advisories on projects, events and other activities that will promote the campaign against oil theft.
Before becoming editor of Thisday Newspaper several years ago, Nwogwugwu served as Editor, Nation’s capital, Saturday and Sunday Editor and Group Business Editor. She worked at various times in the public sector, including managerial positions at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
Seal the Crude is a dedicated advocacy programme that provides a platform for sensitization, enlightenment and harnessing of ideas, events and activities relating to the economic problem of theft of crude oil resources plaguing the Nigerian economy. It is an effort of Resource Watch Advocacy Initiative, a registered trustee under Nigerian law.
