By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has been rated as the best performing Minister of Petroleum for ensuring landmark transformation and sustained Growth of National Nigerian Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd .
The Northern based Nigerian Energy Accountability Forum (NEAF), which gave reasons for picking Sylva, said it is important to identify and acknowledge leaders, who have performed and delivered on mandate of public office.
According to the group, for example ,the recent signings for laying of Gas Pipelines from Nigeria-Morocco and Algeria are project initiatives that requires commendation .
“The Project is aimed at monetization of Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources will help generate additional revenue for the Country; diversification of gas export routes, and eliminating gas flaring.” It added .
In a statement issued and signed by the Coordinator, Engineer Ibrahim Mohammed Biu, the group which revealed this, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of Chief Timipre Sylva as Petroleum Minister was the best decision made by his administration .
While commending the Minister for the efforts made to ensure local sufficiency in refined petroleum products with the first phase of the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery at advanced stage of completion , it said failure to recognize performance and capacity of individuals who have done well is largely responsible for bad leadership .
“We all know that the ongoing rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery, if completed next year will boost internal supply, create more jobs and enhance economic development “.It stressed .
It however, said the decision of the Minister to increase crude oil production to three million barrels per day (mbd/d) with commencement of operation of the TotalEnergies’ Ikike Oil Field, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State is a right step for development .
The group in the statement also noted that, “The signing of PIB into on the 16th of August 2021 introduced important changes to the governance, administrative, regulatory and fiscal framework of the Nigerian Petroleum Industry.
” The bill (Section 54) proposed that the Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva and the Minister of Finance should incorporate the NNPC Limited and determine the assets and liabilities that will be assumed by the new entity and this was swiftly done .
“Another milestone is achieved by his leadership is the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Natural Gas Pipeline is a pipeline planned to transport natural gas from Ajaokuta, in Kogi State to Kano, in Kano State, through several states and urban centers, as part of the Trans Nigeria Gas Pipeline. Construction of the AKKP commenced in July 2020
“The 614km-long natural gas pipeline,will result in the establishment of a connecting pipeline network between the eastern, western and northern regions of Nigeria.
“It also aims to create a steady and guaranteed gas supply network between the northern and southern parts of Nigeria by utilising the country’s widely available gas resources.”
