Northern Youths commend Kachikwu over petroleum sector reforms

The Arewa Youth Integrity Forum, a pan ethnic group, has said the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu deserves commendation over his handling of the oil sector since assuming office

The group which acknowledged that Kachikwu came into office at a very trying time in the oil sector reserved special praise for Kachikwu on new reforms being introduced in the oil sector of the economy.

The youth group in an interaction with journalists in Abuja also condemned recent attacks on the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, linking him to manipulations in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), saying such attacks were orchestrated by those who have held the sector hostage in the past and are not happy that they it is no longer business as usual.

It will be recalled that a group known as South-South All Progressive Congress Youths had  recently accused the younger brother of the Minister was interfering with  the operations of the NNPC. 

But the Arewa youth led by its National President, Alhaji Audu Zakari,  said they were concerned by the manner in which those behind the allegation were trying to frustrate the reforms being introduced by the minister since assuming office.

Alhaji Zakari also called on the Minister to remain resolute in his drive to ensure the proper functioning of the petroleum sector and ignore the scab also which have held the sector hostage in the past.
This is even as the group  has also applauded  the anti-corruption position of the Buhari administration, which has according to them has began to yield dividends.

According to him the group has engaged in the campaign of blackmail in order to extort money from the minister since the era of sleaze and corruption had since been vacated in the sector.

“ They are angry that the President has appointed somebody that has refused to share our money for them to sleep at Nicon Hilton Abuja…the same persons yesterday could sit down to allocate to themselves oil lifting licenses and are bitter that the system has changed”. He chided.

He accused those he called disgruntled marketers who see themselves as invisible shareholders of PPMC and NNPC and have always believed that no reform can ever go in the oil industry to cripple their selfish interest as being behind the blackmail of the minister.

He said, "It is obvious that every Nigerian is now happy that for the first time the High Tower is experiencing peaceful and positive changes without the usual hardship that citizens were made to go through in the past as a result of deregulation and would like to commend the team led by Kachikwu. His choice by President Muhammadu Buhari is a clear demonstration of his full understanding of the sector being a former Minister and active player in the industry.