Gov Ododo seeks FG’s partnership to accelerate oil exploration investment
…As FG reaffirms Kogi an oil producing state
Omeiza Bilal
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has called for collaboration between the state and the federal government towards accelerating investment in the exploration of oil resources in the state.
The Governor made the call when he paid a working visit to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Thursday in Abuja.
While restating his administration’s commitment to providing enabling environment for investors and their investments, Governor Ododo expressed willingness of the Kogi State government to cooperate with the federal government to ensure that oil exploration in the state comes on stream in line with the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pursue oil exploration in the frontier basins in Nigeria.
“As a state, we are ready, with your support, to even have a state-owned oil block within our area, where we need your support to bring in investors. Our sons and daughters are in that industry. They are ready to work with us as long as we put in place the right mechanism.
“What the government is doing, primarily, is security and infrastructure, which we are doing. But with your support, we’ll be able to do better. Your Excellency, sir, it interests you to know that the AKK line passed through Kogi State.
On his part, the Minister reaffirmed the status of Kogi as an oil producing state and pledged the commitment of the federal government towards mobilizing investments to explore the huge oil deposits in Kogi State.
Lokpobiri stated that the Petroleum Industry Act mandates the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to explore frontier basins and pledged the federal government’s determination to deploy funds to unlock new discoveries and exploration of oil in Nigeria.
The minister also commended the Governor for his giant strides in providing good governance to the people of the state.
Kogi State became the first oil producing state in Northern Nigeria following the affirmation of the discovery of oil in commercial quantities by the federal government in 2022.
Also speaking, Kogi Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Asiwaju Idris, noted that in view of the ongoing construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, which passed through the state, the environment was right for the establishment of a gas industrial park.
According to the commissioner, the gas park would encourage more industries and investors in the state to take advantage of the gas expansion plan.
“In Kogi state, we have more upcoming companies in the area of solid minerals, we have Dangote Company expanding, and many other companies across the state because we are blessed with solid minerals.
“We know that the NUPRC has a lot to do to develop the frontier basin. We need to tap other minerals God blessed the state with under the Anambra frontier basin”.
He said it was paramount to fast track the blueprint, adding that the governor took it upon himself to gear a lot of investment towards securing the citizens, resources and investors.
