President
Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) to extend its exploration to six basins in the
country.
Buhari gave the directive at Barambu town in Alkaleri
Local Government Area of the Bauchi State while flagging-off the
commencement of drilling activities at Kolmani-II Oil Well, Gongola
Basin, Upper Benue Trough.
“Exploration in our frontier basins is imperative to the economy of the country.
“I
therefore, have directed NNPC to intensify its campaign in the Chad
Basin, to discover new hydrogen to extend the economy of the people
within the region and the nation at large.
“Our next level is
to ensure that exploration is extended to Chad Basin, Gongola Basin,
Anambra Basin, Sokoto Basin, Dahomey Basin, Bida Basin and Benue Trough,
for more prosperous Nigeria.
“Gas and oil remain critical to the present economic development of our country and the future,” he said.
According to him, they remain “key to the implementation of our budget at all levels of government.
He commend the NNPC for the exploration into Kalmani River II Well, which he said, will spur-off socioeconomic activities
The
president said that his association with hydrocarbon research started
in Lake Chad as Federal Commissioner of Petroleum and Natural resources
in 1976.
“That era led to the drilling of 23 wells, which two
were of gaseous, where NNPC acquired 2,000 square meters of land in the
basin,” he said.
The president commended the NNPC and other
stakeholders in the Kolmani-II oil well project, just as he paid tribute
to some university lecturers abducted while undergoing research work on
the project.
Buhari also commended security agents for working tirelessly to ensure that the area was safe to conduct exploration activities.
He
reiterated his administration’s determination in pursuing its goal of
ensuring adequate security, enhancing the economy of the country, as
well as fighting corruption.
Earlier in his remarks, the Group
Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru, had said that the exercise
started some years back, but had to be suspended in 2000 as a result of
the abduction of experts working on the project.
While
commiserating with those who made sacrifices towards ensuring the
realisation of the set goals, Baru said oil exploration was a capital
intensive project that took many years to accomplish.
He however
said that with patience and perseverance, success could be attained, and
therefore commended all stakeholders, urging them to sustain their
commitment. (NAN)
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