14 September 2012, Sweetcrude, ABUJA – THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said, Thursday, that it is pursuing a greater domestic gas utilisation programme to rapidly drive the nation’s economic growth.
Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Fidel Pepple, in a statement disclosed that the move to pursue greater domestic gas utilisation programme is informed by government’s transformation agenda and the recent signing of a performance contract by Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, alongside other ministers, with President Goodluck Jonathan.
Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, had disclosed during a dinner in his honour alongside the Group Executive Director, Corporate Services of the Corporation, Dr. Peter Nmadu, that the NNPC was committed to increasing in-country gas utilisation to help stimulate Nigeria’s industrialisation.
The statement quoted him as saying: “In line with Mr. President’s transformation agenda and the recent performance contract signed by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the NNPC is already pursuing greater domestic gas utilisation to support the Federal Government’s drive for stable and sustainable power supply and national economic growth.
“Nigeria’s abundant gas resources can realise and sustain the nation’s dream of stable national power supply while gas supply to light industries and plants such as cement, fertilizer, petrochemical plants and domestic users is expected to increase gas utilisation and support economic growth.”
Yakubu also spoke on the corporation’s drive to achieve its strategic economic objectives, saying this meant that it has to be committed to the core values of transparency and accountability at all levels, adding that NNPC under his watch was pursuing a new agenda to reposition it for more efficient performance.
“NNPC must be commercially focused and aligned with the Nigerian economic growth aspirations. We must therefore raise our operational and financial standards to enable us operate competitively in the entire oil and gas value chain within and outside Nigeria,” he said.
Vice-President Namadi Sambo, represented at the occasion by Mallam Aminu Dabo, implored Yakubu to run the NNPC transparently, describing the corporation as the most strategic agency of the Federal Government.
Also, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State assured the management of the NNPC of the support of the Governors’ Forum for it to reposition the oil industry.
Uduaghan described the petroleum sector as the backbone of the country’s economy.
The statement also noted that Chief Tony Anenih and Chief Edwin Clark while endorsing the new management of the corporation, urged them to effect positive changes in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry without fear or favour.
According to one of the organisers, Professor Jerry Gana, it was meant to inform the NNPC group managing director and his management team that they cannot afford to fail Nigerians.
