BY ROTIMI DUROJAIYE
President Muhammadu Buhari has commenced implementation of the newly signed Petroleum Industry Act by approving a steering committee to oversee the process.
The steering committee is headed by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
A statement issued on Wednesday by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, named other members as: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Group Managing Director, NNPC, Executive Chairman, FIRS, Representative of the Ministry of Justice, Representative of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Natural Resources, Olufemi Lijadu, is named as External Legal Adviser, while the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, will serve as Head of the Coordinating Secretariat and the Implementation Working Group.
According to Adesina, the primary responsibility of the steering committee shall be to guide the effective and timely implementation of the PIA in the course of transition to the petroleum industry envisaged in the reform program, and ensure that the new institutions created have the full capability to deliver on their mandate under the new legislation.
He said the committee has 12 months duration for the assignment, adding that periodic updates will be given to the President.
