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Fred Itua, Abuja
Experts in the oil and gas sector, known as the Partner For Petroleum and Energy Sector Prosperity Initiative (P-PESPI), have condemned the negative reports by a civil society organisation, Accountable Leadership For Better Nigerian Initiative (ALBNI), which called for the sack of the Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva.
In a statement, yesterday, signed by chairman of the group, Charles Ibiang, they said Sylva was quoted out of context, when it was alleged that he was sabotaging the Federal Government by craving for a dialogue with international oil companies over arrears amounting to $62 billion.
Accountable Leadership For Better Nigerian Initiative (ALBNI) had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to relieve Sylva of his duties over claims by Sylva that debt owed the Federal Government by the international oil companies, would be difficult to recover legitimately.
However, P-PESPI chairman, while rebuffing the claims, said Sylva has a deep knowledge of the reality in the Nigerian petroleum sector.
“Sylva is a great asset to President Buhari’s administration and the petroleum sector in general. Any close watcher of the investment drive in the sector, will realised that international oil companies are not injecting new capital for new projects.
“Instead, they’re are engaging is assets management and divestment from Nigeria to other climes where the business, regulatory and political environment are friendly.”
