Kachikwu opens up about Buhari allocating oil blocs to some individuals (photos)
– Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state for petroleum, denied allegations that President Muhammadu Buhari has allocated oil blocs to some people
– The minister said he believed that the people of the south south should benefit from the oil blocs
– Speaking at a town hall meeting, he said when the time for the oil bloc allocation comes, it will follow very clear due process
Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state for petroleum resources said President Muhammadu Buhari has not allocated oil blocs to any individual since he came into office.
Speaking on Monday, June 13, in Uyo at the south south region town hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture, Kachikwu said the federal government would be fair and just in giving out such advantages, Vanguard reports.
The south south region town hall meeting held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state
Responding to questions by some aggrieved participants from the region over alleged un-equitable distribution of oil blocs, the minister said: “Since we came into office, the government has not allocated any oil bloc. The president has said that he will need to correct the mess created by the past administrations before we begin to think of giving out such advantages.
READ ALSO: Buhari says Nigerians will witness rich and better Nigeria
“The president has emphasised to us, the ministers that there should be no unjustifiable favour and any action we take we must be able to defend it.
“When the time for the oil bloc allocation comes, it will follow very clear due process.”
Ministers at the town hall meeting
He said he was one of those who believed that the people of the south south should benefit from oil blocs because it would be part of “giving back to the chicken that laid the eggs,” and would also go a long way empower the people and make them to engage in genuine oil deals.
Kachikwu said when the time comes to consider the allocation, the government would give the oil blocs to those who have skills and the finance to develop it.
He assured the people that the federal government would locate oil depots and modular refineries in the state through private capital intervention.
On the issue of militancy in the region, the minister said the blowing up of oil installations by the militants was affecting the economy.
READ ALSO: Buhari is yet to deliver on any of his campaign promises – PDP
Kachikwu said the government had reached out to the Niger Delta Avengers for a truce and they would do everything possible to end it.
Rotimi Amaechi at the town hall meeting in Uyo
On his part, Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, promised the people that the federal government would deliver on the developmental projects it promised Nigerians.
Last week, the first town hall meeting tagged ‘Buharimeter’ held in Abuja. The exercise was aimed at assessing President Buhari’s APC-led government’s first year in office.
Recall that the Niger Delta Avengers had listed some oil blocks allegedly owned by former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; a former minister of defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma; ex-minister of petroleum, Alhaji Riwalnu Lukman; and other northerners and south-westerners in the region.
Days after this, the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide warned that there would be more hostilities in the Niger Delta region unless President Buhari probes the unfair allocation of oil blocks in the country.
The post Kachikwu opens up about Buhari allocating oil blocs to some individuals (photos) appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Nigerian newspapers.