By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna.
The Director, Media and Publicity, Presidential Support Committee (PSC), on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) in Kaduna, Engr. (Dr.) Kailani Muhammad has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that his predecessor steps into his shoes by keeping the tempo of all his important oil prospecting as well as develop other untapped mineral resources in the country.
Speaking during a Press Conference at Rigasa Kaduna, the CEO Network For Election Education, Sensitisation And Awareness of Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Saturday, explained that oil production in the North could be a backup to shore up revenue for Nigeria as it witnesses huge budget deficit.
Engr. Kailani added that the oil find in the North is coming at a time when crude oil production in the South has dropped to about 1.2 million barrels per day, mainly due to oil theft and vandalism, saying that every additional wealth regardless of where it is coming from, foretells a better future for Nigeria’s children if managed well.
He said “the main thrust of today’ Press Conference is to highlight the giant strides President Muhammadu Buhari has made in the oil and gas sector, which has the capacity to transform Nigeria’s energy potentials and be ranked as one of the greatest global energy boardrooms.
“On the 22nd of November, 2022, President Buhari made yet another milestone in his commitment to promoting Industrialisation, and balanced economic growth to our citizens by commissioning the OPL 809 and 810 at Kolmani in Gombe, Gombe state for the drilling of crude oil.
“Recall that this Oil Prospecting Licenses were awarded to Shell and Chevron respectfully in the 1990s without commiserate results.
“In the same vein, former President Olusegun Obasanjo made an effort in 2005 to revive the Oil Bocks by re-awarding the two Oil Blocks to New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC). This initiative also failed as there was no significant outcome from that venture.
“But on one fateful morning, precisely, Saturday, the 2nd of February 2019, President Buhari landed at Kolmani River 11 well on the Upper Benue trough of the Gongola Basin and flagged- off the spud I of the wells.
“Barely 8 months later, being the 10th of October, 2019 at about 18.02 hrs, one of reservoirs at Kolmani well 11 was perforated and at 21.20 hrs hydrocarbon gushed out. This is a hallmark of a goal- getter and achiever. This is a legacy that will live beyond this generation and forever. We cannot deny President Muhammadu this legacy.
“What we have now is that, one of wells at Kolmani in the Upper Benue trough has a reservoir of 1 billion barrels of crude oil, while the other has a reservoir of 500 million cubic feet of gas. These oil blocks which traverse Bauchi and Gombe states will be developed by Sterling Global Oil, New Nigeria Development Commission (NNDC) and the NNPC Limited.
“I have said it severally and I will say it yet again; our so called elites have always been leaning towards heating up the polity in order to achieve selfish ends. We are happy that President Buhari has broken the jinx of Oil and Gas economy politics by dragging the net around the country in his efforts to beef up the natio’s treasury trajectory.
“The oil and gas discovered and being in Gombe and Bauchi cannot be consumed by the indigenes of the two states alone, but it is for the benefit of the entire nation. Apart from the Gombe Bauchi discovery, there are other locations in the Northern part of the country with large deposits of hydrocarbon. All these deposits will generally impact on the Nigerian economy.
“We appeal to President Buhari to ensure that explorations in these new locations begin before he exits office in 2023. We hope that the discovery of these oil deposits in the North will put an end to the much touted and misplaced propaganda that the North is dependent on the South for sustenance because of its oil deposits.” Dr. Kailani exclaimed
According to him, with an estimated 1 billion barrels of crude oil reserve from the new northern oil wells, Nigeria is expected to gain nearly $73 billion or N32.3 trillion at an average global crude oil price of $73 per barrel benchmark used for the 2023 budget proposal.
“This earning could be realised over a period of 10 years; depending on when commercial production starts.
Benefits of the Kolmani Oil prospecting:
Nigeria to earn N32tr from new oil wells
NNPC to build refinery, power plant, industrial hub.
“While expert firms operate the oil and gas midstream assets on their behalf, the partners will construct, operate and maintain a condensate refinery that could refine a minimum of 50,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd).
When realized, Kolmani Refinery would join Kaduna Refinery in the North and bridge the oil supply.” He noted
“Currently, Nigeria has 450,000bpsd refining capacity comprising the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries. The 650,000bpsd Dangote Refinery is also coming on board in Lagos thereby making three large-scale refineries in the South and one in the North.”
Furthermore on political scene, the CEO The Liberator, disclosed that an opinion poll conducted by over 500 NGOS and CSOs shows that Senator Bola Asiwaju Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos state and the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress will emerge winner of the 2023 Presidential Election hands down and by a wide margin.
“To avoid a waste of time and resources, we humbly advice other contenders, including Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the Wazirin Adamawa and Mr Peter Obi to step down and join hands with him in our collective efforts to build a better future for Nigeria and her citizens.
“What the generality of Nigerians want is the diversification of the economy by the state Governors who wait in overseas locations only to come back to Nigeria when the free money from the Federation account is ready for collection. Says Engr. (Dr.) Kailani
