Imoke Challenges Petroleum Engineers
San Francisco, August 06, (THEWILL) - Members of the Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE) have been urged to rise above board to evolve more proactive measures in tackling the global energy needs.
Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke who gave the charge while declaring open the 34th Nigeria Annual International Conference and exhibition (NAICE 2010) at Tinapa, Calabar, Thursday pointed that part of the initiative should be geared towards harnessing the enormous gas potentials in the Niger Delta region as alternative energy source to meet the ever increasing demand in the country by adopting a more technical approach.
Imoke maintained that the conference, which has as its theme, "Meeting World’s energy demand and supply mix: the role of Africa" was significant because of the leading role of Nigeria in the global oil arena, adding that while striving to deliver on the society’s needs, the conference will ginger them to observe best practice and maintain highest standard in their undertakings. He informed the conference of the State Government’s plan to develop an energy city with world class infrastructure and other incentives to accommodate those who are willing to take advantage of the local content law recently past by the Federal Government to enhance the oil and gas industry development.
The Governor lauded the society for organizing the event in the Niger Delta after 10 years, which he noted is an indication that the Federal Government’s fight against militancy has succeeded, adding that if other professionals are attracted to the zone, it will lead to increase in investment opportunities that will transform the area.
Imoke thanked them for bringing together young professionals to learn the ethics of the trade and urged the society to sustain the training exercise while ensuring that only best practices are bequeath to the younger ones if the Nigerian oil and gas industry must be taken to an enviable height.
In his address, the Special Adviser to the president on Energy, Mr. Emmanuel Egbogah said that the Federal Government was committed to harnessing the full potentials of the down stream sector of the industry with emphasis on renewable energy source to meet daily demand of the country and raised the hope that subsequent edition of the conference will be Africanized.
On his part the President, International Society of Engineers International (SPEI) Mr. Bern Fata represented by African Regional Director, Mr. Alek Musa lauded the effort of the organizing committee for putting together the training exercise for upcoming professionals, urging them not to derail from base practical standard of the profession.
Chairman of the Council, Mr. Anthony Abdarin said the essence of the conference was to create a platform to share knowledge in line with current trend to enhance advancement and development of the society.
He announced one of the strides attained by the council to be certification of members, which according to him will check quacks and ensure strict regulation of engineering practice in the country and thanked the state government for being a good host.