The Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to transiting to cleaner energy.
The Minister made the reaffirmation on Day-3 of the 6th National Council on Hydrocarbons in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday, 18th November, 2021.
Sylva who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, mni, stated that, “in addition to producing liquid hydrocarbons, we are using our abundant gas resources as a bridge between the fossil of today and the renewable energy of tomorrow”.
On the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Minister said implementation remained the vehicle through which Value will be unlocked into the Nigerian economy. He added that it was in this regard that government had developed an Implementation Framework, guided by the Implementation Steering Committee which is being chaired by the Minister of State.
Acknowledging the rising price of gas which has become unaffordable to many people, the Minister, said we must find a way out to address this issues and others that were raised at the 6th NCH. He added that the Council had unexpectedly brought new and innovative ideas and made sound resolutions that will make Nigeria fully realize her potentials in exploration, production and utilization of its natural resources.
In his welcome address on Day-3 of the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, commended the efforts of the experts and other stakeholders who critically examined and discussed the memoranda submitted to the Technical Session of the 6th NCH.
The Permanent Secretary, whose address was delivered by the Director, Human Resources Management of the Ministry, Dr. Famous Eseduwo, stated that, the passage and signing into Law of the PIA, 2021 had dawned a new era for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria.
Day-3 of the 6th National Council on Hydrocarbons which signaled the end of the event attracted comments and goodwill messages from various stakeholders and interest groups. Among these were the Niger State Government represented by the State’s Commissioner for Minies and Mineral Resources. Mr. Daniel Sunday Kolo, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), representative of Traditional Rulers in Rivers State, representative of International Oil Companies (IOCs), representative of the Host Communities, and the Rivers State Chapter of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria,
In his closing remarks, the representative of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Medee who is the State’s Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, thanked the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for awarding the hosting right to Rivers State. He stated that the safety of delegates, members of Council and all participants throughout the event attested to the safeness of Rivers State for business, investment and human habitation.
At the end of deliberations at the 6th National Council on Hydrocarbons, a total of thirty-eight (38) Memoranda were received, considered and thoroughly examined by the Technical Session of Council. From this figure, twenty-seven (27) were presented to Council, five (5) were merged due to similarities, another five (5) were recommended for further consultations and administrative process, while one (1) was recommended for review and representation at the next Council.
The highlight of the day was the adoption of the the Communique of the 6th National Council on Hydrocarbons.
The 6th National Council on Hydrocarbons was themed: “Unlocking the Potentials and Prospects of Nigerian Oil and Gas (Energy) Industry through Efficient Implementation of PIA, 2021”.
Enefaa Bob-Manuel
Director (Information)
MPR
