Obiano's Compelling Achievements And ConSoludation Contd. (Photos & Video)
Oil and Gas
As the global community gears up for the fourth industrial revolution and post fossil fuel economy, nations blessed with the resources are making haste to harvest the dividends and plough the earnings to reposition for the next phase.
Anambra’s journey to officially becoming an oil-producing state began in 2013 when Orient Petroleum Company, a private firm enterred into partnership with the state government, and started producing oil in the Aguleri basin. But it is the Obiano administration which gave it impetus by designating Oil and Gas as his fourth Pillar of economic development.
Flowing from the governor's vision to make Anambra State the first choice investment destination and a hub for economic and commercial activities and the mission to create a socially stable business friendly environment where indigenes and non indigenes alike can engage in wealth creating opportunities. The state's passage of the Oil and Gas Development Agency bill and the setting up of Oil and Gas Advisory Board facilitated policy formulation for the sector and steadfast pursuit/ resolution of boundary issues, sustained negotiations with oil prospecting firms and relevant agencies of government as well as security of personnel.
In practical terms, Governor Obiano committed resources to stop the practice of accessing some oil prospecting facilities and wells in Anambra through neighboring states with the construction of the 280 metres Aguleri Otu bridge across Omambala river and the Umueje bridge. At Ogbaru Local Government Area years of illegal operations by Sterling Oil
Exploration and Energy Producing Company of India in Ogwuaniocha and Ogwuikpele were checkmated while at the Anambra East Local Government Area end, claims by Kogi State over some of oil wells are now subject to a fifty-fifty sharing formula, pending final resolution of the boundary claims.
Anambra's journey to oil bearing status is by no means easy, but the tough battle was surmounted thanks to Governor Obiano's wealth of experience in the sector, his doggedness, and deployment of competent hands on the task, the State is now officially an Oil Producing State. Consequently, in the books of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the state is entitled to 13% of the sale of petroleum resources from 11 oil wells in its territory, namely, Nzam-1, Alo-1, Ameshi-1, 2, and 3, and Enyie-1, 2 , 3 and 4.
There is no gainsaying the positive impact of the new status on the revenue profile of the state as well as the anticipated boost on infrastructural development programme of the government in the years ahead.
Interestingly, the Pillar One: Economic Transformation agenda articulated in The People's Manifesto by the Governor-elect of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo keys-in perfectly into the next phase of consolidation on the achievements of the four pillars of economic development of the Obiano administration. According to the Governor-elect:
"We aim to transform Anambra State from a dorminantly informal commercial state to a Formal, Productive and Competitive Economy underpinned by rapid industrialization, Agriculture, Commerce, Entertainment/Leisure, and The Creative Economy, and Technology and Innovation, Solid Minerals and Oil and Gas."
All told, the building blocks of development for a safe and secure Anambra State laid under Obiano's blueprint for economic development
where everyone has opportunity to create wealth is in sync with Soludo's new deal for a liveable and prosperous homeland.
