From: Abdul Ardo
The Commissioner of Ministry of Natural Resources and solid minerals Bauchi State Alhaji Mohammed A Bello and his Gombe counter part Commissioner for Ministry of Energy and Solid Minerals Alhaji Sanusi Ahmed Pindiga have separately called on the Federal Government to commence full-scale lifting of crude oil from the Kolmani Integrated Oil Field which has been inaugurated over two years.
The Commissioners gave the explanation when they interacted with journalist observing that since Solid minerals is under the exclusive list of the Federal Government, Bauchi and Gombe States Governors are however doing their best to ensure that the company responsible for the project return to the site immediately to commence production work.
The commissioners said the recent visit of the Crude Oil monitoring Committee of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) raised their hope in ending the delay in the actualisation of full-scale lifting of crude oil from the Kolmani Integrated Oilfield more than two years after its inauguration.
Bello said during their recent visit to the site the company Starling Global has returned some of its Machinery equipments to the site which is a good signal that work will resume on the site.
Already, the Bauchi State Government is building an Academy in Alkaleri where locals would be trained with all the skills needed by the oil exploration companies.
The Commissioner further said Governor Bala Mohammed is ready to sponsor some people living around Kolmani to go to China inorder to learn the Chinese language so as to enable them work with Chinese firm that will work in oil companies.
On his part Gombe State Commissioner of Energy and solid minerals Pindiga said Governor Inuwa Yahaya has approved the construction of roads and provide all the needed infrastructures that will make the living condition of the communities in Kolmani area better.
The commissioners have assured that they are working to establish a host communities Association so that through the associations States will have a say in the project according to the law.
They assured the continued wholistic support of their State Governors to see the full actualization of Kolmani Integrated Oil Field on it security social amenities and logistics.
It would be recalled that more than Two years after it was inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in partnership with New Nigeria Development Company NNDC drilled two oil blocks OPL809 and OPL810 accordingly at Kolmani. The two blocks transcend neighbouring Bauchi and Gombe States. NNPCL had engaged Sterling Global to continue with exploration, lifting crude oil and developing the Kolmani Oil Field.
During the RMAFCs visit an engineer with Sterling Global, Abdulhamid Aminu said the present efforts are being channelled to drilling two additional wells that would feed the already drilled PL809 and OPL810 before the lifting of crude oil from the site would commence. When pressed to give a probable timeline for the completion of the drilling of the two wells, Aminu said the two feeder wells should be ready by March 2025. He said Sterling Global would recruit about 13 staff from the local communities as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Aminu also identified areas of education and health for other social responsibility projects for the residents of the host communities.
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