Allison-Madueke Commits To Aggressive Pursuit Of Oil Sector Reforms

PHOTO: PETROLEUM RESOURCES MINISTER, MRS. DIEZANI ALLISON-MADUEKE.

ABUJA, April 27, (THEWILL) - The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, has called on top management and directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and parastatals under her Ministry to join in the aggressive implementation of the oil and gas sector reforms.

The Minister made this call at a townhall meeting held on Tuesday at the Amphitheatre of the NNPC Towers, Abuja, to enable her share her vision and interact with directors and senior managers in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the NNPC, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF), and Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

Allison-Madueke outlined her priority at the Ministry to include the speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), deregulation of the downstream sector, maintenance of the integrity of pipelines to ensure efficient product supply, increase in gas to power output, and resolution of the Niger Delta crisis.

"We have very limited time to cover all these areas of priority and deliver results; we have only six months, so our focus is on short term goals that will have maximum positive impact on the economy and the lives of Nigerians. Therefore, we must work aggressively to deliver on these areas of priority," she stated.

On her strategies to ensure the speedy passage of the PIB, the Minister disclosed that she and the Presidential Adviser on Petroleum Matters, Dr Emmanuel Egbogah, have commenced negotiations with stakeholders ranging from members of the National Assembly to the international oil companies, IOCs, with a view to straightening out the areas of disagreement.

She said her enthusiasm about the speedy passage of the PIB is borne out of the fact that the law, when passed, has the capacity to galvanize Nigeria into the league of gas producing nations through the implementation of the Nigerian Gas Master Plan, adding that further negotiations will continue to ensure that the Bill is passed as soon as possible.

Allison-Madueke also explained that all the issues surrounding the deregulation of the downstream sector would be sorted out before implementation to avoid undue hardship to Nigerians.

On the gas to power strategy, she said owing to Acting President’s keen interest in the power sector and the strategic role of gas in power generation, "we will be called upon to collaborate with the power sector, so I urge everyone to work aggressively towards optimum delivery of gas to the power plants."

She expressed confidence that the objectives were achievable, saying: "I have every assurance that this sector which has some of the most creative professionals will come up with short term deliverables that will impact the economy for good."

Some of the dignitaries at the occasion include the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Elizabeth Emuren, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Shehu Ladan, the Director of the DPR, Mr. Andrew Obaji, the Executive Secretaries of PPPRA, PTDF and PEF, Mr. Abiodun Ibikunle, Mr. Rabe Darma and Mrs. Adefunke Kasali respectively.