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PIB ‘Awareness Campaign’ to Guzzle N6.2 billion

By on November 30, 2012

Oil Minister thinks $40 million is required to publicize already popular PIB

The Federal government has plans on the way to spend N6.201 bn on an awareness campaign for the Petroleum Industry Bill.

The campaign, which according to a budget performance breakdown of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for 2012 made available to the National Assembly Committees on Gas Resources and Petroleum (Downstream) on Thursday showed that the campaign would take place across the country.

The budget campaign, which began since 2012, is to run until 2015. The sum of N110.87 million has already been released from the N6.201bn and spent for the purpose.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Petroleum was allocated N2.02bn in 2012 for capital expenditure but only N820 million has been released so far.

Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke while speaking before a joint committee said they have received just 40 per cent of the allocation and they have spent N759 million out of the N800 million.

She added that regardless of the poor funding they have succeeded in cutting down the volume of crude oil theft per day from 150,000 to 100, 000 barrels.

Regarding the 2013 allocation, the ministry has N4.68 billion, overhead cost of N544.7 million, personnel cost of N581.44 million and a N.56 billion capital expenditure.

In the end, the committee blamed the Ministry of Finance for non-release of funds, while expressing disapproval over the implementation of projects at the ministry of petroleum.

Chair of the committee, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, said the Minister of Finance should provide funds for the ministry to operate effectively.

He said, “If we have just 41 per cent right now, it means when the last quarter is released, the percentage performance will come down to 21 per cent.

“This should be a clear message to the Ministry of Finance to release funds available to the agencies.”

Senator Mohammed Goje, in his contribution said the Minister of Finance should tell Nigerians why funds are not made available to the ministry involved in bringing revenues to Nigeria.

One Comment

  1. Richard

    November 30, 2012 at 10:05 am

    This is scandalous. In truth this entire ministry should only be a department in the Ministry of Trade and Industry.