DPR eyes Q1 2020 to show results for sector’s priorities

There are indications that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) will by first quarter of next year, show its scorecard on some priority agendas the Federal Government is working to reposition the oil and gas sector in the next four years.

At a meeting held in Abuja to fast-track its part of the government strategies, Acting Director DPR, Ahmad Shakur, who met with top management of the agency alongside the Minister of State Petroleum for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva said a new approach is urgently required to deliver some key government priorities before the end of the current administration.

Shakur, who spoke at the event specifically said, the attempt by DPR would significantly aid implementation of the plan to eradicate Premium Motor Spirit or petrol smuggling across Nigerian border, complete gas flare commercialisation, LPG penetration and other gas utilisation projects, increase of crude oil production to three million barrel per day, reduce the cost of crude oil extraction by at least five percent, ensure passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, increase of domestic refining capacity as well as aiding creating of well-paying jobs for youths.

He said: “We are developing a very strong measuring standard to measure performance. That will form the basis of our work going forward. The proper measurement of performance would be from first quarter of 2020. We need to end 2019 with clear vision of what is expected of us by the government.

“This time around it is not going to be business as usual. If it is not going to be business as usual from the top then it won’t be across the agency.

“We have signed agreement with the Minister on our deliverables for the next four years. This is like a death warrant that we are committed to delivering these things in the next four years and there will be a quarterly review of these deliverables to check if you are on course or not. There is also modifications to see whether the agencies are on track or not.”Shakur said that the strategic management retreat would further assist the DPR to sustain the tempo of ongoing reforms in the agency which is geared towards aligning with the agency’s vision to be a world class regulator.