Nigerian govt to develop gas resources in Delta state

Speaking during the inaugural meeting of the NNPC/Delta State Strategic Partnership on the Gas Master Plan in Asaba, the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo stated that the joint venture with the state was geared towards harnessing the abundant gas resources in the state with the sole aim of creating jobs through the numerous industries that would be established by investors.

Barkindo who was represented by the Coordinator of LNG and Power in the Corporation, Mr. Voka Mukoro noted that the partnership was in line with the transformation drive of the NNPC saying that the Corporation was transiting from a cost center to a commercial National Oil Company.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is undergoing a transformation process that would make her operate like other National Oil Companies such as the Petrobras of Brazil and the Petronas of Malaysia, this journey would help her become commercially viable”, Barkindo posited.

He opined that the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, before the National Assembly if passed would go a long way in turning around the fortunes of the NNPC and revolutionize the oil and gas sector in the country for the good of the common man.

Barkindo lauded the amnesty programme of the President Umar Yar’Adua administration saying the peace it has brought about in the Niger Delta region of the country has led to astronomical increase in daily production of petroleum products by the NNPC, the IOC’s and other indigenous oil companies.

“We believe that we have to start from here to solidify the gains of the amnesty programme of the federal government. We are optimistic that the joint venture between the NNPC and Delta State would create an economic spin off that would result in job creation for the teeming youths of the state,” he asserted.

The NNPC helmsman expressed the belief that the partnership would accelerate the industrial growth of the state in the areas of petrochemicals, fertilizer plants and other gas related factories.

In his presentation titled, “Delta State/NNPC strategic partnership on the Gas Master Plan: Overview of Strategic Partnership Approach”, the Group General Manager of Upstream and Senior Technical Adviser to the GMD, Dr David Ige, postulated that the partnership would develop the gas resources in the state in as short a time as possible in order to attract investors to the state from all parts of the world.

He submitted that the joint team from the state and NNPC would develop an attractive fiscal, communication, marketing and security package that would motivate investors to see Delta State as a haven for investment.