Kolmani Oil Fields: Gov Bala Mohammed Commends President Buhari
…….describes project as game changer for Bauchi state

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has commended President Muhammadu Buhari on the successful flagging off of oil drilling activities in the Kolmani Oil Field in Bauchi and Gombe States. Bala Mohammed said the project will go down in history as one of the most important legacies of the President.

Bala Mohammed who spoke in Bauchi at the ground breaking ceremony of the Kolmani Integrated Development Project, which marked the flag off of oil drilling in Kolmani Field noted that the project “will not only assist the country in generating more revenue, it will also create jobs, fight poverty, and promote sustainable and environmentally friendly development”.

He described the occasion of flagging off of oil drilling in the Kolomani Field as “a day that will be remembered for heralding the economic prosperity of our good people of Bauchi State”.

The Governor further noted that “for us in Bauchi State, this is an exciting moment. Despite the Kolmani River being the territorial demarcation of the borderline between Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi state and Akko Local Government Area of Gombe state, there is no conflict or tension between us”.
“The two states remain the same, Gombe was carved out of Bauchi. We are brothers and sisters in pain and prosperity.

The discovery of oil in any of our communities will be for the benefit of us all. We, as a government, are already investing in this area to create a sense of belonging, government presence, and reduce poverty and unemployment”, an elated Governor Bala further stated.

He pledged the readiness of the government and people of the state to support the efforts and policies of the federal government to protect lives and property, and promote economic prosperity, adding that “Bauchi State is today among the top in the World Bank and Federal Government ranking on the Ease of Doing Business”.

The Governor assured that Bauchi state will closely collaborate with Gombe state, work in tandem for the benefit of the good people of our two states and the nation at large. He stressed that as “part of global best practice, Bauchi Sate is ready to sign a collaborative agreement with Gombe State, Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd and the investors to ensure synergy, efficiency and conflict prevention and management”
According to him, “the experiences we have had from Niger Delta and other communities show the importance of collaboration, community engagement, environmental protection, mutual respect, and fairness in preventing conflict and violence that are often associated with exploration of mineral resources. I want to assure you that we will put in place mechanisms that will prevent the repeat of some of the past mistakes.”

The Governor noted that though Oil and Gas exploration falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, Bauchi state would provide the needed support for the smooth operation of oil drilling in the area. He assured that the state would “enlighten and sensitize the people on the importance of this project”, just as he expressed delight on the provision for the Host Communities in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) signed by the President last year.

The Governor assured the investors of the safety of their investments, even as he looked forward to their active involvement in the state through Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) that directly touch the lives of the host communities and the people of Bauchi State at large.

“The entire people of Bauchi are going to ensure this turns out to be a success story. We invite you to invest in our state not just in Oil and Gas but also in other sectors of the economy. Bauchi is blessed with arable land for agriculture, mineral resources and most importantly the law abiding and peaceful indigenes of the state”, he further stated.

Bala Mohammed commended the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) and the Nigeria National Petroleum (NNPC) Limited for their efforts and roles in the coming of stream of the Kolmani project. He charged NNPC Limited to continue to lead the way for continuous exploration, discovery, and similar projects for the socio- economic development of the country and to ensure energy security and alleviate energy poverty”.

End.