KWARA GOVT TO DETERMINE QUALITY OF CRUDE OIL DEPOSIT
With the recent discovery of crude oil in Aran Orin in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara , the state government yesterday said it has commenced processes of determining if the crude oil deposit found in the state is of commercial quantity.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Tunji Moronfoye stated this during a briefing with newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting. The government had on Monday disclosed that deposit of crude oil had been discovered in Aran Orin town in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.
Statement from government house said the Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed made the disclosure when he received management team of the National Mirror, who paid him a courtesy call at the Government House.
The statement signed by Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Communications, Muhideen Akorede quoted the governor as saying that after the discovery of the substance by the residents of the area, geologists from the state Ministry of Industry and Solid Minerals confirmed it to be crude oil.
'The ministry officials did not only confirm the substance as crude oil but identified the blend as bonny light, a high-grade of crude oil preferred by European and American refineries due to its unique properties,' the governor was quoted to have added.
Moronfoye told newsmen that the government had contacted Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to carry out the processes for determining commercial quantity of the substance.
The commissioner, who noted that to make this determination, two wells would be drilled for exploration and appraisal said the government would be awaiting the responce of the DPR. On the minimum wage for the state workers, Moronfoye assured that the government would fulfill its promise of implementation of the wage as from the time stipulated for it.
He said since it had become a law, there was no going back in implementing it,adding, 'the workers deserve it.'
The commissioner clarified that changing of the name of the state Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development did not mean emphasis on science and technology had been removed. He said while government still laid emphasis on science and technology as much as it did before the change of name, it added another area of focus which was skill acquisition by students.
He said the government was focusing on skill acquisition to ensure that students were equipped with skills with which they could be easily employed or be self-employed and to improve skills of artisans in the state to enhance their efficiency and productivity.