Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof. Tam David-West, has tasked the federal government and oil multinationals to evolve ways of exploiting the nation’s abundant gas resources rather than rely  only on petroleum.

Besides, the Rivers State elderstatesman dismissed fears that the nation’s oil resources would deplete in 40 years time, saying such predictions were baseless as the current oil production had defied it.

Delivering a keynote address at the Port Harcourt International Oil and Gas Summit held last Monday, Prof. David West said less emphasis should be placed on oil as the country had lots of untapped gas resources.

The former Minister of Petroleum flaked the recently proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which in his view would deny oil producing communities of their rights if passed into law.

He therefore tasked the Niger Delta governors and stakeholders to study the bill carefully before its passage which he believed was a deliberate attempt to sideline oil bearing communities from benefiting from their God given resources.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Energy and National Resources, Dr. Dawari George, has stated that the current administration in the state was poised at transforming the economy of the state through efficient use of energy resources.

With its abundant oil and gas resources, Dr. George submitted that the forum was geared at evolving a blueprint for the sector, while expressing the hope that a fiscal and regulatory framework would emerge at the end of the summit.

The Energy Commissioner also called on the Natural Assembly to review obsolete aspect of the constitution that stifles the smooth operation of the industry in order to pave way for greater local participation.

Among other areas that need to be addressed according to him include community relations, projects financing and capacity development capable of driving the local content policy.