Oscarline Onwuemenyi
02 October 2015, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision not to appoint a Minister of Petroleum, saying such would result to distraction and overload on him.
National Vice President, NACCIMA, Mr. Billy Harry noted in a statement obtained obtained by our correspondent in Abuja that Buhari should focus on administering all the ministries from a vantage point rather than appointing self as petroleum minister.
According to Harry, “It will distract him and not give him the required space and work time to be able to administer facets of the economy and policies.
“We have so many more issues other than oil. Agriculture alone can swallow everything that oil is doing.
“The President has to be very focused on job of supervising the entire economy as a polity. I don’t think I will advise him to saddle himself with additional responsibility.”
President Buhari while addressing some reporters in New York on Tuesday, after addressing a Global Leaders’ Summit on Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism, said he will remain the Minister of Petroleum.
He said the step is being taken as part of efforts to sanitise Nigeria’s oil industry which is said to be plagued by corruption, massive fraud, and crude oil theft.
He said, “I will remain Minister of Petroleum. I will appoint a minister of State for Petroleum.”
Buhari restated his determination to sanitise Nigeria’s oil industry and free it from corruption and create more transparency.
He said that his first step in sanitizing the petroleum sector has already begun with the appointment of a new management for the NNPC and said that the prosecution of those who misappropriated NNPC’s funds is already in the works.
Buhari, who took office at the end of May promising to fight corruption, has made it clear he wants to overhaul the oil sector in Africa’s biggest economy, which provides the government with about 70% of its revenue.