Oil Discovery: Nasarawa Government, Signs MOU Saturday With NNPCL

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) will on Saturday, 18th February, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nasarawa State Government, signalling the commencement of oil drilling in Keana.

This is just as preliminary findings revealed another oil discovery in Obi Local Government Area, specifically in Agwatashi and Assakio.

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, disclosed this while speaking during an interactive session with APC Stakeholders in Obi.

According to the Governor, all is now set for the signing of the MoU with the NNPCL, which will pave the way for the drilling of the first oil well in Keana.

Engineer Sule said his administration will not relent until Nasarawa State begins to enjoy the 13 percent derivation as an oil producing state.

“In 2019, when I came out to campaign and mentioned oil, a lot of people assumed it was mere politics. That time, I promised that, by the grace of God, I will use my experience that I acquired from my stay in Houston, Texas, global headquarters of the oil industry, to try.

“As at that time, oil was discovered only in Keana. A lot of people don’t even know the extent of the oil discovery. The issue of oil has now become a reality. Now NNPL will drill the first oil well in March.

“Preliminary findings have shown that there is also oil in Obi. This Saturday, 18th February, NNPCL and Nasarawa State Government will sign a MoU. It will now dawn on people that this administration doesn’t make empty promises but only seeks to bring development to the state.

“I will not rest until we finally join the league of oil producing states and we begin to enjoy the 13 percent derivation. We expect to see appreciable progress by May this year,” he stated.

Speaking earlier at the palace of the Zhe Mighili, in Jenkwe Development Area, the Governor restated that his administration has set aside over two billion Naira as counterpart funding to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), meant for the construction and rehabilitation of schools.

He announced plans to build a storey building of eight classrooms and offices at GJSS Dudugulu, several others including ECCDE Okaha, GJSS Agwade West, Gidan Hausa primary school, as well as a borehole in Dudugulu.

Engineer Sule said under the next plan of action by the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), about 20 schools will be constructed in Obi, Deddere and Adudu.

He however called on the people where these projects will be executed to constantly supervise the project and to draw his attention once they realized the contractor is not delivering to standard.

Engineer Sule commended the Zhe Mighili, HRH Dr. Ayuba Agwadu Audu, for his prudence that saw to the renovation of his palace.

Speaking at the stakeholders meeting in Obi, he hinted that that when the Supreme Court case against the Federal Government on the naira redesigning, APC governors have agreed to argue for the extension of the cashless policy for six months, while also demanding for the Central Bank to return the old Naira notes to be used alongside the new notes.

The Governor decried the hardship being faced by Nigerians since the implementation of the policy, stressing that, once the Supreme Court agrees for a return of the old currency, all these hardships will disappear.

“The reason why people are facing difficulty is because the new Naira notes were not printed enough. In Nigeria, we have about 3trn in circulation. But the CBN only printed 200bn new Naira, which is inadequate. Actually, the CBN merely collected money from the hands of Nigerians.

“Some people are complaining because they don’t understand the economic situation of the world. They claim that Nigeria has too much money in circulation. This is far from the truth. If you look at what is happening in the US, and how that country transitioned to a cashless society, you will understand better. But 20 percent of the US wealth is cash in circulation. In India, 15 percent of the country’s wealth is in circulation.

“In Nigeria, the country’s collective wealth is over 50 trn. But out of this, only 3trn is in circulation, which is less than 5 percent. The argument that there is too much money in circulation in Nigeria is not true. By the time the cash in circulation reaches about 10trn that’s when we can push to transit to a cashless society,” he stated.

As always and being the Nasarawa State Coordinator for Asiwaju/Shettima Campaign Organisation, Engineer Sule called on the people to vote for the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and all other candidates of the party.

According to the Governor, it’s time for the North to reciprocate for Tinubu because the former Lagos governor worked for the interest of the North.

He particularly urged the people of the area to vote for his immediate predecessor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura, who is seeking another term to represent the zone at the Senate, adding that Al-makura deserves to be elected because he served the state meritoriously.

The Governor equally called on the people to elect all other candidates of the APC from top to bottom.

As part of the campaign tour, Engineer Sule equally paid homage to the palaces of the Emir of Azara, HRH Alh. Dr. Muhammad Kabiru Ibrahim II and the Osuko of Obi, HRH Alhaji Aliyu Dangiwa Ogiri.

As a mark of appreciation, the Emir of Azara conferred Engineer Sule with the traditional title of” Shettiman Kanuri Beh.”

This is just as stakeholders in Jenkwe, Deddere and Azara Development Areas, vowed to deliver the APC from top to bottom.