The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu has said that the Federal Government remains committed in its pursuit at exploring and exploiting the energy sources and potentials of the country.
Kachikwu disclosed that a new policy is in place to further reposition the petroleum ministry towards harnessing the reserves in the frontier basins for economic growth.
The Minister made the disclosure Wednesday in Sokoto at the opening of a 2-day Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in collaboration with Sokoto state Government and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto “Regional Technology Knowledge Sharing Programme (RTKSP) on Hydrocarbon Potentials of Sokoto state”
According to Kachikwu who was represented by the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Dr Aliyu Gusau, said the Sokoto basin has enormous reserves in energy potentials which should be harnessed to fast track positive mechanisms in the energy sector.
“We have to domesticate the process of developing and delivering the right frame work that will guarantee the achievement of set objectives”, he pointed out.
Kachikwu noted that the inland basins were a significant component and pivot for promoting a responsive approach to attain the required results for possible realisation of energy.
”We will create the enabling environment and strategic framework that will encourage full participation of relevant stakeholders for the realisation of our potentials”, he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, Vice Chancellor of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru described the theme of the knowledge sharing on hydrocarbon potentials as a responsive and purposeful step towards exploring the energy reserves of the Sokoto river basin.
“It is an avenue for ideas and knowledge driven approach to strengthen the will and determination of the state’s to synergies with the federal government in harnessing the hydro potentials in Sokoto/ Bida basins respectively.”
Zuru said the university was ready to actively partner stakeholders to deepen the process of exploring of hydrocarbon potentials for the benefit of Nigeria.