The new Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobri, has said his mission to the ministry is to ensure Nigeria’s crude oil is ramped up on a sustainable basis.
Lokpobri, who said this when he met chief executives of the ministry on Monday in Abuja after his swearing-in at the Presidential Villa, added that he was not in the ministry to sit in the office but rather to ensure that Nigeria meets its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production quota.
According to him, everybody has to work together to increase production.
“This is not time for speeches. There is only one agenda that I have come to this ministry to achieve and that is to ramp up crude oil production on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Lokpobiri said.
Lokpobri, who will be in charge of ensuring the country’s crude oil production meets OPEC’s quota, stressed that he is a creek boy and would ensure through constant visit to the creeks that he provides the leadership that would ramp up crude production.
According to him, with everybody working together, “we will write a new story for the oil industry,” he added.
Earlier, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpo Ekpo, said that the full utilization of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Nigerians would help cushion the adverse effect of petrol subsidy removal by the government.
Ekpo insisted that with its abundance of gas deposits, it was time the country maximises its use in order to provide a better life for the citizenry.
He said he would with collaboration with stakeholders work strategically to translate Nigeria’s enormous gas resources into reality to address the challenge of power.
In his introductory remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Gabriel Aduda said the breakdown of the minister is part of the requirement of the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.
“This shift has ushered in a new era of transparency and independence,” he said.
He noted that with the present challenge of ramping up production, the new leadership the two ministers will bring to the sector will help the country navigate the challenge.
