Ben Agande, Abuja.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Maduekwe, Thursday attributed the unrelenting attack on her office to those she said had been frustrated from continuing with their nefarious deals in the petroleum sector of the economy.

In an interview in Abuja on Thursday the minister said those who have no skeleton in their cupboards need not be afraid of the reforms in the sector as it was meant to benefit all Nigerians.

“A vast majority of Nigerians are happy with Mr. Jonathan for the far reaching decisions his administration has taken to stabilise the sector.

“Those fighting the government in the media are  doing so because we have been able to frustrate their efforts in strangulating the economy through their devilish black market and questionable profiteering at the expense of the Nigeria people.

 
 “I would not want to join issues with those criticising me because they are crying foul that through us Mr. President has broken the old order where things are done without coordination. 

What is hurting them is that we have put policies in place where they can no longer cheat the government and cause untold hardship for millions of our Nigerians” she said.

According to her, no amount of blackmail would stop her from continuing to pursue the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the oil and gas sector.

She reiterated that the few individuals angling for her sack were doing so because she has refused to continue the ‘business as usual’ tradition in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

She vowed  that never again will the government allow the return of the age-long cartel in the country’s oil and gas sector, adding that  despite the unjustified criticism and unfounded allegations against her, her greatest joy is that majority of Nigerians in the sector appreciate the good work her ministry and agencies under her are doing to reposition the oil and gas sector.

According to her, operators and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector that have the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians at heart need not be afraid of her leadership style, except those that have skeleton in their  cupboard.

While commending the cordial relationship between her and top officials of the Ministry including those of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other parastatals of the Ministry, Mrs Allison-Madukwe explained it was the harmonious relationship that has brought about the high level successes by government in the sector.

She solicited the corporation of Nigerians, oil companies and other investors at all times in order to achieve Mr President’s objectives for the sector, and commended the leadership of various union in the sector for standing by President Jonathan in the ongoing reforms of the sector.

A police corporal, Jeremiah Yusuf, lost four children in a fire incident  at  Tudun-wada Quarters of Gusau, Zamfara, on Wednesday.

The death toll following the collapse of a six-storey mall in the Ghanaian capital Accra climbed to nine on Thursday, with at least 67 people so far pulled alive from the rubble, a military official said.

Workers of Zaria Industries Limited on Thursday protested the closure of the company and non payment of their salaries for six months.

DELTA State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed a bill stipulating death sentence for kidnappers and terrorists.

The bill, known as “Law to Prohibit Terrorism, Kidnapping, Hostage-taking, Cultism, Use of Bombs and Explosives and Other Matters thereto”, was unanimously passed by the 28 members of the House after consideration in a committee of the whole, presided over by the speaker, Victor Ochei.