Four years after the official flag-off of exploration, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Committee (RMAFC) and the Bauchi State Government have appealed to President Bola Tinubu for the return of the contractor to commence crude oil drilling at the Kolmani basin.

The late President Muhammadu Buhari administration had, in 2022, flagged off the drilling at the Kolmani basin, within the boundary of Bauchi and Gombe states.

Speaking when he led his team and the officials of the Bauchi State Ministry of Natural Resources to the oil field, however, the Chairperson of RMAFC, Mohammed Shehu, expressed concerns about the delay in exploration, vowing to recommend to the president to urgently redeploy the contractor to the site.

Shehu explained that they were on site to see things for themselves, recalling that the contractor was seen working at the site when he visited in 2024 but was told that work had since been halted.

“We want the momentum that was started way before 2023 to continue. We want to see how we can advocate further for this important project to continue so that the people of Bauchi, Gombe and Nigeria in general could benefit,” he stated.

“We know for a fact that Mr President is concerned about this project and has assured the two governors. He promised to mobilise for this project and we are going to add our voice to it to ensure that full mobilisation is given.”

Shehu said that the committee was concerned that the accrual could increase the nation’s revenue, hence the reason for the advocacy about continued exploration.

Also, the Commissioner for Natural Resources, Bello Maiwada, urged the president to remobilise the contractor on site for the administration’s economic and political gains.

The committee also inspected the ongoing construction of the Oil and Gas Academy in Alkaleri Local Council Area, being funded by the federal government.