The newly-appointed, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, yesterday, pledged to reposition Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The former Governor of Beyelsa State, who said agencies under the Petroleum Ministry, have competent staff, immediately asked heads of the agencies to provide adequate briefing.
Sylva, who was welcomed at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in Abuja, promised to reposition the Ministry after concluding his familiarisation briefing, and chart a way forward for the industry.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari had asked to meet with him, with a view to giving him certain mandate, noting that afterwards, he would be meeting with directors and heads of parastatals in the ministry.
“I know we have a very competent management in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF; Department for Petroleum Resources, DPR; and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB. I would like to take some briefing from all of you, after which I would make some proper responses.”
Sylva, reportedly contributed to the institution of the Amnesty programme in the Niger Delta region, which, over time, led to the restoration of peace in the oil producing areas of Nigeria.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, eassured Sylva of the readiness of all members of staff in the Ministry to support him to succeed in the onerous task of transforming Nigeria’s oil and gas sector for the good of all stakeholders.
On hand to welcome the Minister at the brief ceremony were the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari; Executive Secretary PTDF, Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau; and the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Ahmed Bobboi, and a host of others.
