N33.945bn for Oil and Gas Museum in Oloibiri

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has approved the proposal made by former President Shehu Shagari for the construction and building of Oil and Gas Museum in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State. Based on this, Federal Executive Council (FEC) is expected to give final approval for the release of funds for the take off of the project.

In a letter by the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mr. Emeka Eze to the Director General of the PTDF, the Due Process office reduced the price quotations for the construction of the Oil and Gas Museum from N36,315 billion to N33,949 billion. It also approved the award of the contract to seven contracting firms.

The cost estimates is to cover the following areas for the Oil and Gas Museum; Research Centre, International Conference Centre, Sand Filling and Civil Works, External Maintenance, External Electrical Works, Site Clearance, Geotechnical Survey and Fencing. Seven oil and gas companies bided and won the contract for the constructing and building of the Oloibiri Oil and Gas Museum.

The Oil and Gas Museum is aimed at generating revenue by ensuring that the funds earmarked for overseas training for oil and other allied workers and other necessary conferences take place in Nigeria, while at the same time ensure the sustainable development of the eco-system of Oloibiri, where oil was first struck in 1956 by the Dutch Oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company.

Power Sector Reforms: Jonathan reconstitutes committees

President Goodluck Jonathan has reconstituted two committees on the power sector, with a pledge that the current stable power supply in the country will be sustained even after the rainy season. The two committees, whose reconstitution was triggered by the sudden resignation of the Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, on August 28, are the Presidential Action Committee on Power (PACP) and the Presidential Task Force on Power.

The committees are charged with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the Federal Government’s agenda for power sector reforms.

In the reconstituted committees, Jonathan will retain the chairmanship of PACP, which was established in June 2010 to provide leadership and guidance for the rapid development of Nigeria’s power sector and determine the general policy direction and strategic focus of reforms in the sector. Vice-President Namadi Sambo will serve as the deputy chairman of the committee whose other members shall include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Service, Chief of Staff to the President, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Minister of Power, Minister of State for Power and Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Other members are Minister of National Planning, Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Special Adviser to the President (Performance Monitoring & Evaluation), Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power will serve as secretary of PACP.

However, Reynold Dagogo-Jack of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) will assume the chairmanship of the Presidential Task Force on Power, which has the duty of developing and driving the Federal Government’s action plan for the power sector, as well as articulating a proper plan of action for implementation in the areas of power generation, transmission and distribution.

Other members of the recomposed task force are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power; Chief Executive Officer, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN); Managing Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Gas Company (NGC); Chief Executive Officer, Geregu Generation Company; Chief Executive Officer, Ughelli Generation Company; Chief Executive Officer, Eko Distribution Company; Chief Executive Officer, Abuja Distribution Company; Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Bulk Electricity Company; Chief Executive Officer, Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria and Mr. Evaristus Mogbo.