Minister tasks PPPRA board on deregulation, autogas policy

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has tasked the board of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on enforcement of deregulation when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) becomes law.

Sylva gave the charge while inuagurating the Board Chairman of the Agency, Mr Obinna Atuonwu, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

“You were carefully chosen, and more especially at a good time when the PIB has been passed by the National Assembly. This entails a lot of movement.

“There is a provision for deregulation and subsidy removal in the bill, you are going to manage so many things, transiting from subsidy to deregulation.

“PPPRA is core in all these as well as the autogas policy which you will also be at the middle of overseeing,” he said.

The Minister assured the board that it would work with a competent team, as the reappointed Executive Secretary of the agency had enough expirence and was a technocrat.

“You can get a lot from him being a technocrat, and you from the political side, you will complement each other to work together.

“But I want you to know that you are going to preside over one of the most enlightened boards in the country; all the unions and activists have their representatives in the board. I wish you all the best,” he said

Responding, Atuonwu thanked the President and Sylva for the appointment and assured them of commitment in his service.

“I pledge my loyalty to the agency, ministry and our party, APC. I want to reassure you that I will not have issues with the Executive Secretary. When it is time to serve the nation, always count on me.

“I am fully aware of the turbulence ahead, but I am sure it will pass,” he said.

Also, the Executive Secretary Abdulkadir Sadiu congratulated the board chairman and assured that the management would continue to work cordially with the board.

“The management has had cordial relationship with the board in the past four years and that will continue.

“I trust we can achieve this together, and I assure of my personal support towards accomplishing it,” he said