Oando Plc Favour Ifeoluwa & Akinola Ajibade Oando Plc says it has completed and won the bid for the operatorship of oil block KON 13 in Angola. The firm which recently acquired Eni of Italy’s oil assets in Nigeria, said that the award of the oil block located in Angola’s onshore Kwanza Basin followed a competitive bidding process by the country’s oil and gas sector regulator. It further said hat the asset in which it owns 45 per cent participating interest, has estimated prospective resources of 770 to 1,100 million barrels of oil. Oando is handling its operations relating to the asset through its upstream subsidiary, Oando Energy Resources (OER). “Oando Plc, Africa’s leading indigenous energy solutions provider listed on both the Nigerian Exchange Limited and Johannesburg Stock Exchange is pleased to announce that its upstream subsidiary, Oando Energy Resources (OER), has been awarded operatorship of Block KON 13 in Angola’s Onshore Kwanza Basin, following a...
Alleged N500m Wasteful Investments. I stand by my Words, Lokpobiri Dares Wabote:: Tasks Journalists To Visit Project Sites of NCDMB's Partners
By Favour Ifeoluwa &. Akinola Ajibade
The Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, Sen Henekein Lokpobiri has said reiterated that he stands by his statement at the Petroleum Club quarterly event in Lagos that over N500milion of the industry fund in equity investment in private establishments and loans are now non performing.
While reacting to media statement made by Mr Simbi Wabot, former Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board ( NCDMB), dismissed the claims that he asked for an increase in budget of N30bilion for the Office of the Minister.
In a statement by Nnaemakar Okafor, S.A Media & Communication, for Minster of State for Petroleum Resources( Oil)the Minister noted: Secondly the Minister gas no aide called Blackson. All his aides are duly selected in line with extant laws and have documents to that effect.
According to the chairman, the Minister in his capacity as chairman of the Governing Council stands by his statement at the Petroleum Club quarterly event in Lagos and as journalist, I welcome you to visit the place mentioned and verify the allegations for yourself.Thirdly the said Atlantic Refinery was supposed to be built in Wabote's home town, he should Nigerians where that refinery is .
Fourthly, the Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Company was also paid for, you are welcome to visit the site and verify to verify the fact yourself.
The statement noted that investigations are ongoing and truth will surely come to light and monies belonging to the generality of Nigerians will be recovered for Nigerians
Let me add that these revelations are not new, they were first made during an investigative hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on local content. Again , the records are there and you are welcome to verify the facts.
The Minister has never been part of any budgetin process of any parastaltar under the Ministry, you are welcomed to visit these agencies to verify for yourself.
Lastly, the Minister's office is run with a budget supreinteded by permanent secretary and so one would wonder how the Minister would ask another entity to make provisions for the budget of his office. The Minister has an impeccable record from the time he was Minister of Agriculture and will continue to stand fir the truth.
The Minister and indeed the Chairman of the Governing Council of NCDMB will not abdicate his responsibilitiy to please anyone.He has the responsibility to ensure that that which belongs to Nigerians is judiciously used for Nigerians.
I have had course to read Mr Wabote's Release and every one can see that he still nursing the wounds of being replaced after spending seven years at the Board. At the best, this is clear case of when you fight corruption, corruption will fight back.
It would be recalled that the Minister at the Petroleum Club quarterly event, vowed to recoup alledge investments worth over $500 made by Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board ( NCDMB). However, the erstwhile Executive Secretary of NCDMB earlier debunked the Minister' s statemen, describing it as reckless.
Wabote challenged the Minister to visit the sites of the projects, where the agency invested in, while accusing the Minister of playing politics.
" The HMSPR Oil is implored to visit construction sites to avail himself of facts on ground.He should also check the MPR archives of the strategic plans to diversify oil and gas development clusters in the Niger Delta, using Bonny Island, Onne, Ogidigben, Ibon etc. Perhaps, this will cure his aversion to any devepmental initiative in Brass Island and the Niger Delta in general"Wabote said.
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