Senate Tasks Petroleum Ministry On Local Content

The senate committee on Petroleum Upstream has tasked the ministry of petroleum resources to take advantage of the local content in its effort in delivering on the ministry’s mandate.

The senate committee stated this on Wednesday while  on an oversight function at the ministry headquarters, Abuja.

The committee which noted the need for the oil sector to use local contents than relying on foreign machinery and  import, regretted the non-ultilization of local content in the oil sector  which is in large quantity in the country.

Speaking, chairman, senate committee on Petroleum upstream, Sen. Tayo Alasoadura ( Ondo Central ) said they  were at the ministry  as part of its oversight function to ascertain the level of compliance of the 2015 budget implementation, adding that the exercise was not to witch-hunt any body, but to assist the ministry to deliver on its mandate.

Sen. Alasadura said efforts are been made to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

It also urged the ministry to develop strategy in resolving the Niger Delta crisis, which it said have adversely affected oil production in the region.

The committee asked the petroleum ministry to take advantage of the availability of bitumen in some parts of the country.

Fielding questions from the members of the committee, Minister of state for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachukwu who  reeled out some of the challenges of the ministry urged the senate to fasten the consideration of the PIB.

On the Niger Delta crisis, the minister stated that the ministry  is doing every thing possible to resolve the crisis as it had met with the leaders of the region on the way forward.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here