By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Group Managing Director‎ (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Kachalla Baru, has challenged Nigerian universities on scientific research and technology incubation to promote the country’s local content policy, industrialisation and economic growth.
Baru also itemized some significant achievements of the Buhari administration within the past three years to include the on-going oil exploration in the Gongola Basin which straddles Bauchi and Gombe States.
He gave the challenge in Bauchi Friday while delivering a pre-convocation lecture for the combined 23rd, 24th and 25th convocation of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University ( ATBU), Bauchi.
The lecture was themed: “Enhancing ‎University-Industry Collaboration To Support Nigerian Content Policy, Industrialisation and economic Growth.”
He said despite the progress made in ensuring local content through indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry, there is need for advancement in technology‎ and innovation to keep in the changing competitive market and the country’s industrial sector.
He said that educational advancement will continue to play a key role in sustaining the gains of the Nigerian content policy.
Baru noted that as highlighted earlier, universities will play a great role through production of highly ‎skilled manpower and research outcomes to help the industry remain profitable and grow.
He however lamented that Nigerian universities have fallen short of the ‎progress required to support sustainable industrial and economic growth and promote participation of Nigerians for industrial production.
“Without effective synergy between universities and the industry, Nigeria’s technological and economic progress will continue to stall while other countries move f‎orward,” he added.
Baru therefore ‎advocated strategic partnership at the highest level between the company and universities which should comprise senior academics and company executives with flexibility to sustain the partnership for best results.
He also disclosed that arrangements have almost been concluded by the corporation to start oil drilling on the Kolmani River in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
According to him, “On Kolmani river as I said during my lecture, we are in the finishing touches to go in and start oil drilling,†adding that NNPC has good structures and indications that oil could be found in commercial quantity on the river.
“We are going to start drilling appraisal wells in the Kolmani River area which is just as you enter the face of Yankari Games Reserves, and we will start drilling the wells before the end of the year,†Baru further stated.
Baru also spoke of some significant achievements of the Buhari administration in the past three years to include the on-going oil exploration in the Gongola Basin which straddles Bauchi and Gombe States.
These oil exploration activities, Baru stated, were being undertaken in collaboration with ATBU, Bauchi and the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola that provide technical support in the area of environmental impact assessment.
It was learnt that the NNPC is drilling four wells in the Kolmani River area with the Kolmani River 1 contracted to Shell Petroleum Exploration Company while the other three blocks are yet to be contracted.
On NNPC sponsorship of students involved in research concerning oil drilling, the GMD said that the corporation is very much involved in championing education right from the grassroots.
According to him, the NNPC has championed education between secondary school students in the 774 local government areas up to states level, and awarded them various incentives including sponsorship, saying NNPC is very much determined in the education of Nigerian youths.
The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi will this Saturday be holding the 23rd, 24th, 25th combined convovation.
