The oil and gas sector is one of the major drives geared towards formulating relevant policies and contributing meaningful to the sustainable development of Abia State come 2019 and beyond.
The Executive Secretary Permanent Secretary, Abia State Planning Commission, Ugoeze Adanma Iheuwa, who stated this during the Ministry of Petroleum 2019 budget defence, said that the oil and gas matters should be fine-tuned to articulate workable strategy for better and effective coordination.
She also said the policy trust fund of this administration is rounding up their activities, to give good account of their tenure, following Governor Okezie Ikpeazu led administration and theme for 2019 budget defence, “budget of consolidation”.
In her response to their outlined challenges faced by the ministry, Ugoeze Iheuwa charged them to work in synergy with Niger Delta region and other oil and gas sectors, to get relevant information that can help in the development of Abia state petroleum sector, as well as create employment opportunities for the youth, to generate revenue for the state.
She further urged for the safe guard of the lives of people where gas is planted as these can cause environmental hazards to human health, charging them to sensitize people for the need on the value of generating revenue for the state.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Petroleum, Mr. Chizuru Kanu, stated his ministry’s achievements so far, to include; the implementation of first edition of SPDC, creation of public awareness on petroleum products through successful enlightenment programmes and workshops, ensuring the increase of operational presence of the ministry, among others, also stated that the ministry would develop a framework in synergy with appropriate stakeholders for effective implementation of Abia State oil and gas sector facility, inspection, maintenance and operation work permit laws, to achieve their revenue strategy.
Kanu also said that the ministry would establish a reference library and laboratory, to improve the capacity of staff, for efficient service delivery.
