Oil Blocs' Allocation: South-South won't be neglected - Kachikwu

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has assured the people of the South-South geopolitical zone that President Muhammadu Buhari will not neglect them whenever he com­mences the allocation of oil blocs.
He hinted that President Bu­hari has not allocated oil blocs to any individual since he came into office on May 29, 2015.
Kachikwu spoke on Monday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State at the South-South region’s Town Hall Meeting organised by the Minis­try of Information and Culture.
The minister, who responded to questions by some aggrieved participants from the zone over alleged inequitable distribution of oil blocs, said that the Fed­eral Government would be fair and just in giving
out such ad­vantages.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ka­chikwu said that, `Since we came into office, the government has not allocated any oil bloc.
“The President has said that he will need to correct the mess created by the past administra­tions before we begin to think of giving out such advantages.
“The President has empha­sised to us, the ministers that there should be no unjustifiable favour and any action we take we must be able to defend it.
“When the time for the oil bloc allocation comes, it will fol­low very clear due process,’’ he said.
Kachikwu stressed that he was one of those who believed that the South-South people should benefit from oil blocs be­cause it would be part of “giving back to the chicken that laid the eggs.”
He said it would go a long way to empower the people and make them to engage in genuine oil deals, rather than being con­tractors to oil companies.
The minister, however, re­iterated that when government wants to consider the allocation, it would be given to those who have skills and the finance to de­velop the blocs.
Kachikwu said that the Fed­eral Government had finalised the Integrated Power Project with Mobil Oil Company that would produce 500 megawatts of pow­er as well as gas pipeline project in Akwa Ibom.
He said the total investment for the project, including provi­sion of infrastructure in the area of locations, was seven billion dollar.
The minister promised that the Federal Government would locate oil depots and modular re­fineries in the state through pri­vate capital intervention.
In addressing the challeng­es of militancy in the region, Ka­chikwu said he had reached out to the Niger Delta Avengers for a truce with the Federal Govern­ment to end destruction to oil in­stallations.
He said the activity of the militants blowing up oil instal­lations was affecting the econo­my and government would use all means possible to end it.
The Minister of Transporta­tion, Rotimi Amaechi, who was also at the Town Hall Meeting, promised that the Federal Gov­ernment would deliver on the de­velopmental projects it promised Nigerians.
He said: ``it is time to end the blame game and move forward to concentrate on the delivery of democracy dividends.’’
He said government would deliver the Calabar to Lagos coastal rail line project, the Cal­abar to Porth Harcourt, and La­gos to Kano rail projects to ease movement of people and goods.
Responding to an allegation from a member of the audience, Amaechi said he did not influ­ence the appointment of the Di­rector-General of Niger Del­ta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Seminitari.
He said that the insinuation that he lobbied President Buhari to take the position from an in­digene of Akwa Ibom for Semi­nitari in negation of the zoning arrangement was wrong.
The minister said that the president had noted the zon­ing arrangement and correction would be made.
Amaechi also said that gov­ernment was in the process of re­structuring NIMASA in order to reposition it to deliver on its stat­utory mandate.