Oil & Gas: Valuechain boss wants PIB, Refineries prioritised

-By Saidu Abubakar

Two sensitive aspects of the Oil and Gas Industry have been identified as areas yet to receive the deserved attention by the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Musa Bashir, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of the Valuechain Magazine has said.

Delivering a speech on the occasion of the magazine’s one year anniversary celebration at the Fraser Suites in Abuja on Wednesday, Alhaji Usman pointed out the aspects as Refineries and the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

According to him “while we acknowledge the various achievements made by this administration in the Oil and Gas Industry, in their first term in office, however, it is important to point out that the two sensitive aspects of the Industry are yet to receive deserved attention.

“The aspects which are namely Refineries and Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), are critical to the development of the Oil and Gas Industry.

“We call on the stakeholders involved, particularly the Executive and the National Assembly, to ensure speedy passage of the PIB and put measures in place that will make our local refineries work.”

While commending the new Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari for admitting, in his inaugural speech that the nation’s Oil and Gas Industry isn’t at the place it’s supposed to be, the publisher noted: “that is a clear indication that he (Kyari), is coming with the zeal to improve on the current reforms embarked upon by his predecessors. 

“We want to assure the GMD of our support as he pursues this onerous task”.

Speaking on the theme of the Lecture/Awards of the anniversary celebration entitled ‘The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry in the Last Four Years – Achievements, Gaps and Prospects”, Alhaji Usman pointed out that “Let’s applaud them where they got it right. Let’s inform them of the areas they need to do more and let us advise them on how to ensure support for new opportunities”.

Appreciating the efforts of the last leaderships of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and the NNPC, particularly on the reforms they pursued while in office, he urged the new appointees that have started to emerge, to set aside their personal interests and ego in order to work together harmoniously. “The country, no doubt, stands to benefit a lot if they eschew conflict among them.”

The publisher further revealed that two categories of Awards “will be given today; the first is Valuechain Beacons of Oil and Gas Industry and the second is Valuechain Stars of the Industry.

“While the former category seeks to identify and recognise the contributions of big players in the Industry who are daily solving economic problems by generating employment opportunities, the latter category seeks to appreciate individuals that are excelling in their career of managing the various Oil and Gas establishments, whether public or private,” he added.

First to receive an award at the occasion was the Executive Secretary of Petroleum Equalisation Fund, Alhaji Ahmed A. Bobboi who was conspicuously present to add glamour to the event.

One of the highlights of the occasion was the launching of the Valuechain Sickle Cell Foundation by the former Managing Director of Eterna Oil, Alhaji Ibrahim Boyi after the coordinator of the project, Dr. Ibrahim Suleiman had spoken on the importance of the project to Nigerians.