From Paul Orude Bauchi
President Mihammadu Buhari has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to extend oil and gas exploration to all the six basins in the country.
He gave the directive during the presidential Flag-off of the Spud-in of Kolmani River -II Well, Gongola Basin Upper Benue Trough, held on Saturday at the exploration site in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
According to the President, discovery of more and gas would aid economic growth, hoping for commercial quantity discovery in the basin areas. He commended the NNPC and other stakeholders in the exploration sector for the actualization of the Kolmani River II Well prospects.
In his address, the GMD of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru disclosed that apart from the Kolmani II there are six other wells in the Gongola basin of the Benue Trough in which prospecting will be carried out by the Corporation. He added that the NNPC will soon extend prospecting for oil and gas to Plateau, Nassarawa, Adamawa, Taraba and Benue State, while waiting for security clearance from the Military in order to resume exploration of oil and gas in the Lake Chad basin suspended over the years due to insecurity in the area.