The Nigerian government will soon restart oil prospecting in the volatile Chad Basin liberated from the terrorist sect, Boko Haram, a representative of the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, said Monday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Saidu Mohammed, who is the NNPC’s Chief Executive Officer in charge of Gas and Power, said light and heavy duty exploration equipment were being moved into the basin to commence full oil prospecting by the end of 2017.
He said the NNPC was encouraged to return to site by the assurances given to them by the Nigerian military.
He spoke on behalf of Mr. Baru during a visit to the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, at the council chambers of Government House, Maiduguri.
Mr. Mohammed said he was leading a team of officials from Abuja to “sympathise with the government and people of the state on the devastating attacks and destructions they had suffered due to the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents.
“We are here in Borno to express our full alignment to the ongoing reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement process by government in all the liberated communities,” he said.
“Therefore, NNPC wants to appeal and seek where it can come in and assist, because, the rate of devastation is worrisome.
“We are also in the state to inform you that in the next six weeks, we are going to redeploy our team of experts back to Maiduguri to resume oil exploration with better technology in the Lake Chad Basin.
“This is necessary with our renewed efforts in harnessing, Oil, Gas and Power to increase the economy of the nation, in line with the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari in job creation and economic diversification.”
Governor Shettima thanked the team, and said his administration will be ready to partner with NNPC to actualize its mission.
He appealed to NNPC to assist the state government in reconstructing and rebuilding thousands of schools and furniture destroyed by insurgents.
The NNPC team also visited the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai El- Kanemi.