I wish to start by establishing the fact that there is no basis for comparison of the era/regime of Chief Timipre Sylva CFR leadership of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with that of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Ph.D
During the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, while President Buhari was the substantive Minister, Chief Timipre Sylva was the only Minister of State. So, he had a very free hand to run the whole petroleum industry. He only reported to the President.
In the case of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ministry of Petroleum was divided into two (2) parts.
We have Minister of State for Petroleum (Crude).
We also have Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas).
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Ph.D is only Minister of State for Petroleum (Crude).
Presently in the global and domestic market, Gas is the most valuable and highly sourced product.
In the midst of the above, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Ph.D is doing so much including the establishment of Africa Energy Bank alongside other African countries. The headquarters of the bank is here in Nigeria. That was possible because of the lobby power of Lokpobiri and other critical stakeholders.
Many Bayelsans shall be employed in that outstanding continental bank.
I heard about the mention of OLOIBIRI OIL AND GAS MUSEUM AND INSTITUTE.
For the records, I played a very significant role in the above.
As a matter of fact, I was the person who arranged the Courtesy Visit of OGBIA BROTHERHOOD to Chief Timipre Sylva, then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
That was the first time, Ogbia Kingdom which is the CRADLE of Crude Oil and Gas activities and wealth in the whole of West Africa, had the opportunity of visiting and meeting with a serving Minister of Petroleum in Nigeria at the NNPC Towers Abuja, since the discovery of crude oil and gas in commercial quantities at Oloibiri-Otabagi in 1956.
In that historic and memorable visit, Chief Samuel Ogbuku Ph.D now MD of NDDC, Sir Tonye Okio Ph.D now Commissioner of Federal Character Commission (FCC), Chief Robert Ayalla Enogha and other highly placed illustrious sons and daughters of Ogbia Kingdom were part of that delegation.
I was the person that facilitated that historic visit through the help of Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo.
The same way, i played a very critical role in the signing of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
When the opposition against the signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was so much, Chief Timipre Sylva CFR gave me assignment to handle to ensure the signing.
Thereafter, I mobilized very outstanding illustrious sons and daughters of the Ijaw Nation to pay the Minister a Solidarity Visit to prove to Mr. President that Ijaw Nation was solidly behind the PIB and Chief Timipre Sylva that Mr. President should Assent to the PIB and make it a law.
That visit was historic and memorable.
Few days after the visit, President Buhari signed the PIB into law.
Today, Billions of Naira are entering oil and gas producing and impacted communities.
We acknowledge the fact that 3% is small, but it is far better than nothing.
After the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Oil and Gas Museum, some of the funding partners opted out on the excuse that their assigned contributions were too much.
It took the immeasurable effort and sacrifices of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Ph.D to persuade all stakeholders to commit themselves to the actualization of the above project.
Lokpobiri played the most significant role but he was silent about it which is the reason many persons think he is not working or doing anything for our great people.
A very important point that we should note is the fact that Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Ph.D is not the Chief Executive or Final Authority in that ministry.
He is more or less like a ceremonial head because he takes directive from Mr. President who is the substantive Minister.
But in the midst of the above, he has employed multitudes of our people without making noise.
The highest level of empowerment is Human Capital Development and Heineken Lokpobiri Ph.D is doing so much in the above wise without making noise.
As we countdown to the 2027 general elections, a lot of people will definitely want to make political capitals from campaign of calumny and others.
But I believe we can all support our choice candidates without resorting to divisive and retrogressive tendencies.
Finally, it is a truism that the good works of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Ph.D are visible for even the blind to see.
– Hon. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli
Critical Stakeholder in Bayelsa 2027 Project.