By Michael Eboh

THE Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to discard the idea of making himself minister of petroleum resources, urging him to appoint a minister from the private sector.

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Speaking in an interview with the Vanguard, the National Vice President of NACCIMA, Mr. Billy Harry, said a large number of competent Nigerians with wide knowledge of the oil and gas industry is available for the president to choose from instead of reserving the position for himself.

He said, “I do not advise him to be minister because we have competent Nigerians that can work with him. Just like he has picked somebody from ExxonMobil, he could pick somebody from the private sector that understands how to turn certain activities into naira.

“There are competent individuals like myself whom he can appoint as ministers; Individuals, who have been functioning in the industry from zero to where we are now. We know the frustration we are getting because of corruption in the system, which took some of us to the point of almost giving up on this oil and gas industry.”

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He further commended the president for clearly defining his intention to narrow the recurrent budget of the NNPC, saying that the leaner the administrative capacity or size the more efficient and the easier it will be.

On his expectations from the new team at the NNPC, Harry said: “First and foremost let us have committed goals. My expectation is that the team should quickly overhaul the system, redirect all the activities of these oil companies and model it after companies like the Brazilian oil company, Kazakh national oil company, Statoil of Norway.

“Also, we expect this team to study the scenario and quickly come up with ideas. From the team we saw they are all from the oil industry and have critical experience. It is not like they are going to be learning. They should hit the ground running, with very efficient ideas and policies that will drive the industry.”

Also speaking, a lecturer at the Pan-Atlantic University, Mr. Austin Nweze, said, “All we want is an effective NNPC that would be forward looking; that can invest outside the country like other national oil companies. The team can invest and provide services and also be able to export the competences that they have.

“We want an NNPC that will not just focus on Nigeria, but one that will be bold enough to take risks and make investments, and go outside Nigeria to earn income for Nigeria.”

Similarly, a former National Public Relations Officer, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Mr. Seyi Gambo, advised the Presidency to stop making unrealistic demands from NNPC, as have been the case with previous administrations.

He urged the President to instead monitor the activities and operations of the Corporation.

He noted that notwithstanding the fact that the Group Managing Director of the NNPC is from an International oil companies (IOC), as a Nigerian he should be able to manage the contending interests ýin the petroleum sector to Nigeria’s economic advantage.

With the changes in the Corporation, Gambo said he expects a transparent and a more competitive NNPC in all facets of its operations, which will invariably reduce the alleged corruption therein.