Dr. Folasade Yemi Esan has charged that the negative words being most frequently used to describe the operation Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria such as ‘sleaze’, ‘opaque’ and scandal due to inability to account for the exact volumes of crude oil produced and marketed, must change forthwith.
Dr. Folasade Yemi Esan, who is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, made this charge whilst inaugurating executives of the Anti Corruption Transparency Unit (ACTU) of the Ministry. She enjoined them to mobilize the entire staff of the Ministry to come aboard the ship of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu in engendering transparency and efficiency, as the governing ethos for the running of the country’s hydrocarbon industry.
The Permanent Secretary revealed that the introduction of new templates for accessing the Agencies of the Ministry which include target setting, Monthly Reporting System were all more proactive measures taken, to drive home accountability, transparency and driving the Agencies of the Ministry to achieving more results. She also charged the newly inaugurated Anti Corruption Transparency Unit (ACTU) executives to develop measures that will protect the systems in the Ministry from being corrupted or negatively exploited.
Dr. Yemi Esan revealed that the ability of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to track in real time the production volumes from the oil fields, to terminals, and for exports and other destinations, were borne out of efforts of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to have a new narrative in place of ‘sleaze’, ‘opaque’ and scandal which were associated with the operations of the Ministry.
The Permanent Secretary told the sworn-in ACTU Officers: “Count yourselves lucky to be selected to serve in the Unit putting in mind that with every position comes great responsibility. You must work hard so as to justify the confidence and trust reposed in you. You will need to cultivate the virtues of transparency, probity, accountability and sincerity.”
Dr. Yemi Esan further added that the inaugurated ACTU executives do not have to restrict beaming their searchlights on fraud alone, but be prepared to deal with other unwholesome practices which may be inimical to the image of the Civil Service.
In his goodwill address to the inauguration of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACTU) of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owansanoye said ACTU was an initiative of the ICPC and approved by the Federal Executive Council to serve as an in-house check mechanism to identify lapses in operational systems and to establish processes that are transparent, accountable and free of unethical practices. The ICPC Chairman was represented by Kuatsea Justin who is the Head of Anti Corruption Unit and Assistant Commissioner in ICPC.
The inaugurated ACTU Officers of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources include Mrs. London S. Kurere, an Assistant Director; Engr. Utem A. Elem, the Chief Maintenance Officer of the Ministry; Omonkhauke C. Ihoeyian, an Assistant Chief Executive Officer; Olukaiye Joseph Idowu, a Principal Executive Officer; Osilo Gloria, a Principal Procurement Officer and Aisha R. Tahir, an Assistant Legal Officer.
While accepting responsibility to chair the ACTU, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. London S. Kurere pledged on behalf of the other ACTU Officers not to let the Ministry, ICPC and the nation down.
