NaijaAgroNet:
The leadership of
Digital Economy Media Support Volunteers’ (DEMS Volunteers’), an NGO tracking
all development activities in the nation’s public and private sector on digital
economy, has assessed activities of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,
Chief Timipre Sylva since his appointment and gave him a pass mark.
A report released
weekend in Lagos on the reforms adopted so far by the ministry in the last
couple of months, have shown marked departure from the way and manner the
operations of the nation’s oil and gas sector had been.
The Director General of the NGO,
Prince Stan Okenwa noted that “Starting from the
downstream sector, the 2019 December can be rated as yuletide season in Nigeria
that never experienced any form of fuel scarcity due to new ideas and digital
tracking systems put in place by the ministry.”
The DG in a statement signed by the Director of Communications, Mr Peter
Oluka, said “There had been steady supplies and uniform price of
petroleum products especially petrol across the federation and this has
continued both off and on yuletide season.
“The relentless
efforts of the Minister in coordinating the planning of Nigerian Liquefied
Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 Final Investment Decision (FID) earlier this month,
remains a game changer in Nigeria’s drive to lead the continent in gas
revolution.
“Further
investigations made DEMS Volunteers’ revealed that various transformation
processes are currently ongoing in NNPC which include but not limited to
digital installations, growing from Business Unit Focus Areas (12 BUFAs),
Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE). We are aware
that the Ministry is considering the Incorporation of NNPC and its existing
Joint Venture Companies as government is currently working on the modalities.
“Still on the
downstream, DEMS Volunteers’ is aware of a special consideration by the
ministry to introduce two new regulators; one for the Upstream (the Commission)
and another for the Midstream & Downstream (the Authority) to open enormous
opportunities to local investors and consequently create massive job
opportunities in the country.
“To us as an
NGO, the move will deepen investments in pipeline engineering design,
procurement &construction, terminal operations, pipe mills, fabrication of pressure
vessels, storage facilities, pipe transportation and laying equipments,
Refineries, Central Processing Facilities and also investment in Gas-based
industries (Fertilizer, Methanol, Petrochemicals, LPG and CNG) etc. Besides,
open access for oil and gas transportation will be fully enhanced.
“On the upstream
sub-sector, DEMS Volunteers is convinced that the ministry is coming up with
more robust fiscal provision, acreage management, drilling-or-drop programme,
and will not only retain investors, but more players will join the leagues of
high-value operators.
“We are further
thrilled by the planned use of technology for pro-active leak detection in the
Niger Delta to end instances of oil pollution.
“We are also
convinced on the way and manner the Ministry under Chief Timipre Sylva, is
driving the Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialization Program (NGFCP).
DEMS Volunteers’
is also pleased with the tenacity with which the Technical Adviser to the
Minister on Gas Business, who doubles as the Program Manager of NGFCP, Mr
Justice Derefaka is driving the scheme, designed as the strategy to implement
policy objective of the government for the elimination of gas flares with
potentially enormous multiplier and development outcomes for Nigeria in terms
of job creation and ending gas flaring.
“We are aware
that the key objective of the NGFCP is to eliminate gas flaring through
technically and commercially sustainable gas utilisation projects developed by
competent third party investors who will be invited to participate in a
competitive and transparent bid process.
DEMS Volunteers’, however encouraged the Minister to hasten the ongoing
harmonization of existing versions of PIBs so that a more reliable document
would be transmitted to the waiting National Assembly for legislative surgery
in the interest of the nation.
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