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… Inaugurates Project Committees
By Amos Odeh, Yenagoa
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has on Tuesday inaugurated two committees and five project teams for the Oloibiri Museum and Research centre which will be situated in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State.
The virtual ceremony was anchored by Engr Simbi Wabote, executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) who is to head the project committees and chaired by Timipre Sylva who sponsors the historic project.
Sylva, in his address, said ”I am very happy to be part of this historic occasion set aside to inaugurate the project committees that will oversee the establishment of the oil and gas Museum and Research centre in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State.”
He said the occasion corrects a historical oversight with the decision to build a befitting monument in Oloibiri where the first field to produce oil in commercial quantities in Nigeria was discovered in 1956.
He disclosed that need to do this has been on the drawing board for over thirty years with no resolute commitment to bring it to reality.
‘This change has been made possible by our dear President and Commander-in-chief, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari with his unwavering resolve to leave lasting legacies in key sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“The oil and gas community, the people of the Niger Delta, and indeed the entire country remains eternally grateful to Mr President for this historic approval.”
He enumerated the benefits of the project to include the retention of historical artifacts of the Niger Delta oil and gas journey over the decades, dissemination of knowledge to all and sundry, creation of an attractive destination for tourists and restoration of the image of Oloibiri community and creation of employment opportunities amongst others.
On funding partnership, he said the PTDF is to be responsible for 40%, while NCDMB will be responsible for 30%, SPDC – 20% and the Bayelsa State government – 10%.
The key members of the steering committee include Engr Simbi Wabote (executive secretary, NCDMB), Dr Bello Aliyu Gusau (executive secretary, PTDF), Igo Weli/Gloria Udoh (SPDC), Abdulmalik Halilu as secretary and Hon Peter Akpe for the Bayelsa State government.
In his remarks, the governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, expressed his deep appreciation to President Buhari and Timipre Sylva.
Governor Diri also hailed the project as one that would preserve the history of petroleum exploration and described the choice of Oloibiri as apt and commendable.
