Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), and his counterpart, Ekperikpe Ekpo, have called upon the staff of the ministry to rally their support behind President Bola Tinubu‘s Renewed Hope Agenda.
During a town hall meeting in Abuja, they stressed the importance of reshaping the narrative within the oil and gas sector.
Lokpobiri, as conveyed in a statement on Wednesday by Oluwakemi Ogunmakinwa, Deputy Director/Head of Press and Public Relations Unit, highlighted the ministry’s critical role in Nigeria’s survival and emphasized effective performance to address the nation’s challenges.
He explained that having two ministers in the ministry was a strategic choice to drive change and expand investments in the Oil and Gas Sector.
He pointed to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021) as a catalyst for progress and assured the staff that the collaboration between him and his counterpart would lead to the realization of the president’s directive.
He mentioned that during their recent visit to the Port Harcourt Refinery, the contractors working on its rehabilitation indicated that the initial phase would be completed by December 2023.
Lokpobiri also expressed his readiness to engage stakeholders in the creeks to combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
Ekpo, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), similarly emphasized the ministry’s significance in Nigeria’s economic growth and urged the staff to contribute their expertise to fulfill their mandates.
He said:
“We are here to work alongside you, understand you, and encourage you to bring your skills to bear.”
Furthermore, Lokpobiri highlighted their shared objective of expanding domestic gas penetration, which includes initiatives such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), with the aim of benefiting the nation.
Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, expressed strong confidence in the staff’s capabilities to achieve the ministers’ goals.
He also mentioned various initiatives, such as providing staff buses to ease transportation and transitioning to CNG to align with environmental concerns.
Aduda emphasized the importance of leveraging the ministers’ experience to advance the industry and announced plans for regular meetings to enhance communication and collaboration within the ministry.
This engaging town hall meeting brought together directors and staff from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, showcasing the ministry’s commitment to transparency, collaboration, and the administration’s agenda.