By Doris Obinna and Joe Effiong, Uyo
Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, said the Federal Government has failed in the oil and gas sector and should immediately hands off control of the sector.
Speaking at KADINVEST, an economic summit in Kaduna, yesterday, he stated that government does not have any business managing the oil sector.
“Any sector that the Federal Government tries to get into gets messed up. Any area that the government can get out of it should.”
He added that the Federal Government has no business in oil and gas and should privatise the oil and gas sector.
“Because NNPC claims that subsidy has taken all the oil revenues, I don’t believe that. So, the government should sell everything -the oil and gas sector. I have been making this point since 1999 when I was head of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). I have not changed my mind.
“Nothing has changed for NNPC other than adding ‘L’ to it for the limited. They are still taking our money. They are still declaring profits that we don’t see the dividends.
“The government should get out of whatever is left of electricity. Leave it to the private sector. Maintain the environment. The money will come.”
The NNPC was transformed from a corporation to a limited liability company in July 2022.
On October 5, the petroleum company said it uncovered an illegal four-kilometer pipeline that had operated undetected in the last nine years.
Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom State have given the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) another seven-day ultimatum to re-award the oil and gas pipeline surveillance contract in the state to them.
They have also urged the federal government and the NNPC Ltd to within the period of the ultimatum terminate the pipeline contract awarded to Pipelines Infrastructure Ltd allegedly owned by a monarch from Delta State.
The former agitators under the aegis of Unyekisong Akwa Ibom stated their position yesterday in a press release signed by ‘Gen.’ Dede Udofia, Leader, Unyekisong Akwa Ibom, ‘Major’ Ibanga Ekang, Special Operations and Strike Team Leader as made available to Daily Sun on Thursday.
Others who signed included ‘Gen’. Ukpe Sampson, Niger Delta Strike Force, ‘Gen.’ Effiong Edem Uko, Niger Delta Volunteer Network and ‘Major-Gen.’ Ukeme Benedict, Akwa Ibom Freedom Movement.
The ex-militants said they would not allow any non-indigene to handle pipeline security contract in any part of the state which should be awarded to them.
Their press release states in part, ‘the entire leadership and commanders of Unyekisong Akwa Ibom in her meeting on Tuesday 12th October 2022, reviewed the contract for the Oil & Gas Pipelines Surveillance awarded by NNPC Limited in Akwa Ibom State.