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FG Plans Review Of Petroleum Industry Act
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Gabriel Aduda, says the Ministry plans to review the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
This, he said, would be with stakeholders in the upstream and downstream sectors, after two years of its implementation.
Aduda disclosed this at the ongoing Oil Trading and Logistics (OTL) Africa Week 2023, in Lagos, yesterday.
The theme of the 2023 OTL is “Energy, Synergy, and New Beginnings.”
He called on operators in the Nigerian downstream sector to work together and pool resources to invest in refining petroleum products to address the country’s energy crises.
He stressed that the quality of technology possessed by the operators should not be a barrier to investment in refining.
According to him, the review will identify the pros and cons of the Act and all the areas that need to be addressed.
“The review is expected to be held before the second week of December 2023, when all oil and gas industry players would gather to discuss all the fundamental issues that need to be addressed in the Act.
“It is crucial for all players in the oil and gas industry to embrace the spirit of synergy, adding that the energy landscape is rapidly evolving,” he said.
He emphasized that the solution to Nigeria’s product refining lies in the willingness of the private sector to make a difference, collaborate, learn, and inspire one another.
He noted that it is the responsibility of the players in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry to shape a future where energy is clean, accessible, and equitable for all.
“While much attention has been focused on the upstream sector (exploration and production) in discussions about energy transition.
“The downstream sector, which involves refining, distribution, and marketing of petroleum products, plays a crucial role in this transition.
“With the level of technology that is at their disposal no matter how crude they are.
“Why can’t we begin to think in the area of harnessing the limited potentials that we have and see how we can put things together to evolve a clear home-grown technology?
“That we can build on to be able to deliver the energy future of our dream,” the permanent secretary said.
Aduda also advocated the need for the petroleum industry regulators in Nigeria, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to offer supportive regulation to the investors in the sector.
According to him, the beauty of the regulation is to help the industry in Nigeria to be globally competitive and acceptable, to attract more investors, and to put a check on their activities.
Aduda further hinted that infrastructure in the downstream sector was a major factor facing the sector.
“Today, we embark on an investment road show globally to attract investors to Nigeria, but one of the major concerns being raised is lack of investment in the sector”, he said.
He, therefore, noted that the downstream sector is no longer confined to traditional boundaries.
According to him, it is about collaboration, innovation, and adaptability.
“The challenges we face are not unique to any single entity but shared by all.
“Together, we can overcome them and pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.
“The energy sector is witnessing a renaissance of sorts, heralding new beginnings.
“As we move towards a more sustainable, eco-friendly future, our industry must lead the charge.
“Nigeria, as a significant player in the global energy landscape, faces the challenge of balancing its hydrocarbon-based economy with the need to transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources,” Aduda added.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring the availability and guaranteeing the gas supply before the discussions around the conversion of buses to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) were put in place.
He said, “The downstream players must work with the government to expand trunk and distribution gas pipelines across the country, as well as supply and distribution of refining capacity expansion, supportive regulations, renewable energy integration, and workforce development.
“As laudable as the Presidential Initiative on CNG is for example, we must be careful not to put the cart before the horse, we need the buses, we need the converters but then where is the gas?”
Similarly, the Chairman Advisory Board, OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, said the event had a strong presence in the industry.
Oyebanji noted that the ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East had continued to transmit volatility, while the energy transition had challenged markets and forced operators to innovate.
According to him, closer home, policy, and political changes remain a factor, with market players keen for clarity for their operations.
“These factors have combined to make OTL 2023 very important, as we look forward to robust engagements,” Oyebanji said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.