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After Lake Chad, Buhari searches for oil in Benue trough

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And ….The Man Died!

President Muhammadu Buhari has also directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to commence a search for crude oil in the Benue Trough.

This is coming a few days after a similar presidential directive to the corporation to intensify the search for the black gold in the Lake Chad region.

This was made known on Tuesday by the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Maikaniti Baru, while receiving a delegation from the Benue State government, who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

According to him, the directive is part of efforts to guarantee energy security of the country, adding, that the NNPC has reinvigorated its collaboration with the Benue State Government on the Ethanol project which is geared towards production of biofuels for energy sufficiency.

The Benue Trough is a major geological formation underlying a large part of Nigeria, extending about 1,000 kilometer north-east from the Bight of Benin to Lake Chad. It is part of the broader Central African Rift System.

He explained, that ethanol when blended with Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol, ensures excellent performance of vehicles.

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Baru also said that a renewable energy programme was initiated in August 2005 in conformity with the Kyoto Protocol agreement to which Nigeria is a signatory.

He explained that the primary aim of the programme, is to link the agricultural sector with the oil and gas industry, adding that it is also targeted at gradually reducing the nation’s dependence on imported gasoline, reducing environmental pollution as a result of consumption of wholesale fossil fuel as well as creating a commercially viable industry that can boast of sustainable domestic jobs.

The NNPC bos said in a statement, that “A similar programme in Brazil has a thriving biofuels industry providing quantum economic benefits including creation of hundreds of thousands of employment opportunities for nationals of that country”.

Also speaking, leader of the Benue State delegation, Mr. Terwase Orbunde, commended the NNPC for resolving the recent fuel supply challenges and pledged the readiness of the state government to support the quick take-off of the Ethanol project, adding that the project would generate jobs for Nigerians.

Orbunde assured the NNPC of full support and cooperation from the State Government and the host communities, stressing that the State Government fully identifies with the energy policy of the Federal Government.

 

 

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