In a landmark move to provide sustainable energy sources for Nigerians and advance responsible practices in the oil and Gas Sector, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Gabriel T. Aduda on, Wednesday 16th August 2023 in Abuja inaugurated a Technical Committee charged with the responsibility to fashion ways and means of integrating Artisanal Oil Refiners (Domestic Refiners) into mainstream Crude Oil refining.
In his opening remarks, Aduda stated that the persistent request by the Artisanal Oil Refiners was brought to the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who directed the Ministry to review and propose the way forward.
Aduda subsequently approved the proposal to constitute a Technical Committee on subsidy removal without tears/integration of mini/Artisanal Refinery Operations into the In-Country Oil Refinery Programme.
The Committee’s Terms of Reference (TOR) are as follows: to develop materials/framework for the sensitization and integration of the mini/Artisanal Refiners into Midstream crude oil refining; to ascertain the technology, skills, safety and environmental global best practices in the petroleum industry and facilitate the mainstreaming of Artisanal refineries to boost in-country refining capacity at the required specifications; to identify the sources of fund for the integration and establishment of the Artisanal refiners into the economy and structure the refund mechanism; to facilitate the provision of crude oil for experimental and research purposes to institutions with prototype refineries for testing their equipment; and, to review and make recommendations to Mr. President on ways to task our national technical institutions in building standard refineries for refining the crude in-country.
Membership of the Technical Committee were drawn from all the relevant agencies. They include: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Gabriel T. Aduda, Chairman. Members are: Director Upstream (MPR) Engr. Kamoru Busari, Director Midstream & Downstream (MPR) Muhammed M. Abubakar, Engr. (Dr.) Adamu Abubakar Ahmed from Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Zuhumben Paul from Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Dr. Isa Sambo from Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Basaka Hussaini Aminu from Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), John Terry Vanduhe from Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL), SatiyaMutazu Ahmed from Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning (FMFBNP).
Permanent Secretary, MPR Amb. Gabriel T. Aduda (L) inaugurating members of the Technical Committee on domestic refining of Petroleum Products by Domestic Refiners.
Other members comprises of: Engr. Uno Ogban Uno from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Flight Lieutenant Terry Ajobena (rtd) from Presidential Amnesty Programme, Engr. (Dr.) Omonigho B. Otanocha from Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE),Anthony Abiye George from Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Godwin Sunday from Domestic Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria, Ajakiye Onaivi Vicent also from Domestic Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria (DROAN), Prof. I. A. Mohammed-Dabo from Ahmadu Bello University, Georgeson Victor. U from Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Yunus Abdul-Ganiyu from Ministry of Environment, Ibrahim Suleiman Technical Assistant to Permanent Secretary (MPR).
A member from Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) was not in attendance at the inauguration ceremony, while Senator Ita Enang will serve as the Consultant to the Committee.
After the inauguration ceremony, the Committee went into a Technical session.
Signed:
Chris Ugwuegbulam
Assistant Director (Information)
