Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Friday in Abuja urged President Bola Tinubu to make the ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector a holistic one.
The group also hailed the president’s decision to appoint Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as CEO of Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of Nigeria Mid-Stream and Downstream Regulatory Authority.
PANDEF National Chairman, Godknows Igali at a press briefing said with the ongoing reforms and latest appointments, “Mr. President is set to take the Nigerian oil and gas sector on a quantum leap into the future.”
He said: “We, the people of the Niger Delta, are greatly impressed with these changes, and hope that the holistic reforms would be sustained. This is the only way to ensure that the oil and gas industry continues to play the paramount role which it has been doing for the common economic interest of all Nigerians and places Nigeria as a dominant player in the global energy architecture.”
Igali also listed other expectations from the region to include expanding the environmental clean up beyond the Ogoni to other oil producing communities.
The group also urged the government to promote the building of modular refineries in the Niger Delta.
He said: “ Furthermore, we look forward to sustained efforts of the Federal Government in putting in place a robust programme for the environmental remediation of the Niger Delta. The Federal Government must go beyond Ogoni Clean-up to ensure that there is budgetary provision on an annual basis to clean up the damaged environments of the Niger Delta in a sustained manner.
“These changes present another opportunity to call on the Federal Government to put in place a robust programme to promote the building of modular refineries in the Niger Delta.”
Igali also reminded the government of its commitment to set up a Modular Refinery Development Fund, similar to the Solid Minerals Development Fund.
“This must be urgently looked into and encouraged as a way of carrying more host communities along in implementing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), creating more economic activities in the Niger Delta and ensuring that the sector has greater stability for the overall good of the country,” Igali said.
While hailing the President for the recent appointments in the oil and gas sector, especially that of Eyesan, PANDEF also used the opportunity to seek for more appointments for qualified individuals from the region.
“PANDEF again take this opportunity to express the hope that, as Mr. President will continue to follow through with these reforms in the sector, with more sons and daughters of the Niger Delta from where the country has the highest number of experienced professionals in the sector, would be brought into other top positions within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the industry at large.”
On the latest appointments t of Eyesan and Mohammed into two downstream regulatory agencies, the group said it was a pleasant news to them and indeed the entire Niger Delta with great appreciation and expectation.
Igali said: “We particularly applaud the appointment of one of Nigeria’s most competent professionals in the oil and gas sector, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as CEO of Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), saying that “indeed, this particular appointment could be described as putting a square peg in a square hole, and we thank His Excellency, President Bola Anmed Tinubu, GCER, for this.
PANDEF said the new appointee, Mrs. Eyesan, is a seasoned economist, has left her mark in the Nigerian petroleum industry, having previously served as Executive Vice President (Upstream) in NNPC.
In all her professional life, she has always left a mark of diligence, excellence and impact, wherever she served. She showcases a panache, making all Nigerians, and indeed, our womenfolk exceptionally proud of her service to the country.
PANDEF equality applauded the appointment of Nigerian, Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of Nigeria Mid-Stream and Downstream Regulatory Authority.
Igali also assured the Federal Government of the group’s commitment to mobilise the people behind the government so as to ensure an enabling environment in the region.
“Finally, as the apex body representing host communities, PANDEF reaffirms its commitment to working closely with Federal and State governments in mobilising our people to ensure that the right enabling environment exists for this important sector to continue to play its deserved role.”
