NO FRICTION BETWEEN DELTA STATE GOVT AND OIL PROSPECTING COMPANIES – Amgbaduba

Delta State Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Honourable Emmanuel Amgbaduba, says his ministry and oil companies operating in the state are on the same page, irrespective of oil and gas matters being in the exclusive list of the Nigerian Constitution.

Amgbaduba, who was speaking to our correspondent in Asaba, said his ministry was playing a complimentary role in ensuring that both marginal field operators and international oil companies complied with the stipulated regulations in line with international best practices.

He said focus was on ensuring the existence of a conducive atmosphere for oil and gas companies to operate and generate revenue for both the federal and state governments, while holding onto the local content obligation and living up to their corporate social responsibility.

The Oil and Gas Commissioner stated that getting the companies to do what they were expected to do without any friction had help to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Amgbaduba said Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had approved the restructuring of the ministry into six departments, namely Oil, Gas, Local Content, Accounts, Administration as well as Planning, Research and Statistics, while some of the ministry’s functions ceded to other MDAs had been taken back.

This, he explained, had placed the ministry on the right footing to discharge its duties, adding that the staff of the ministry could now enjoy progression in their careers.

The Oil and Gas Commissioner said the ministry was enjoying a robust partnership with the Office of the State Attorney General with respect to the structuring of General Memoranda of Understanding (GMoU) between oil and gas prospecting firms and their host communities, pointing out that a team had been raised in the ministry to review the GMoUs and monitor compliance by all parties.

Amgbaduba said he would want to leave behind an independent and strong Oil and Gas ministry that would continue to create a conducive atmosphere for international oil companies and marginal field operators in the state, and thanked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for providing the enabling environment.