Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

Chineme Okafor

A group known as Oil and Gas Transformation Platform (OGTP) has thrown its weight behind the several transformation initiatives by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to sanitise operations of oil and gas industry.

OGTP stated in a press statement signed by its chairman, Mr. Paul Dudu, and obtained by THISDAY Thursday in Abuja ahead of the scheduled submission of reports of various task forces set up Alison-Madueke to reform the oil and gas industry that it was confident that the Federal Government will make the most of outcomes from the reports.

Dudu also expressed optimism that the reform initiatives will usher in the much needed reforms in the sector, adding that the task forces were established with the approval of President Goodluck Jonathan to bring sanity, probity, efficiency and reform to all the parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources ahead of the passage of the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently being considered by the National Assembly.

According to him: “People must not forget the fact that the minister intentionally set up these task forces to bring about change and full transparency to the oil and gas sector and draw a road map for ending corruption and waste in this critical extractive industry to the full benefit of the people and government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at all levels.”

He noted that in setting up these task forces, government went beyond partisanship and even appointed known opponents and critics of the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration like Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Olisa Agbakoba.

“Nigerians must commend and applaud the minister for inviting tried and tested professionals, technocrats, labour and civil society members to design a way forward for the greater good of the people of Nigeria,” he said.

On the controversy raised by the circulation of a leaked version of the Ribadu-led committee to the media, the group noted that it would be unfair and also hasty for anybody to rely on a leaked draft version of the report when the final edition was yet to be submitted to government in line with established procedures.

Dudu said: “The Ribadu led task force is just one of the committees set up to reform the oil and gas industry. We must wait to view the reports holistically to achieve a fully integrated solution to the challenges we face in the industry.”