President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a Steering Committee to over see the process to kick-start the implementation of the newly signed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The Steering Committee is headed by the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
Other members are: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Group Managing Director, NNPC, Executive Chairman, FIRS, Representative of the Ministry of Justice, Representative of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Natural Resources, Barrister Olufemi Lijadu as External Legal Adviser, while the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, will serve as Head of the Coordinating Secretariat and the Implementation Working Group.
A statement by media adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, said the primary responsibility of the Steering Committee shall be “to guide the effective and timely implementation of the PIA in the course of transition to the petroleum industry envisaged in the reform program, and ensure that the new institutions created have the full capability to deliver on their mandate under the new legislation.”
The statement added that the committee has “12 months duration for the assignment, and periodic updates will be given to Mr President.”