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Better News Here! Nigeria withdraws demand for apology.
BY Sunny Ofili
DATE : Thursday, 02 March 2006

The Nigerian government has withdrawn a demand that the government of Sao Tome and Principe “tender an unreserved apology” for a last-minute refusal to sign the Production Sharing Contract, PSC, between the Joint Development Authority (JDA) and Addax on Bloc 4 in the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) belonging to the two countries.


Nigeria’s Minister of state for Petroleum Resources and current OPEC president, Edmund Daukuro, made the government’s position known yesterday in Washington, DC at a forum organized by The Leon H. Sullivan Foundation to discuss Africa and International energy security.

While fielding questions from The Times Of Nigeria, Daukuro said that he might have been misquoted by last week’s reports in the media where he was quoted to have demanded an apology from Sao Tome for the failure to sign the document. “I don’t think I used the word apology. It was a misunderstanding.” He said.

“The matter has been resolved. I have been assured that it was a communications problem and both sides have agreed to a new date to sign the contract.”


“The contract will be signed on March 14, 2006 and both parties have agreed to this and I do not see any reason we cannot proceed with the contract as it is.” Said Daukuro.

Daukuro, who is on his first official visit to Washington after assuming the presidency of the petroleum cartel, OPEC, blamed the on-going crisis in Niger Delta on restless youths whom he said are impatient.


“Niger Delta problem is nothing new. The problem is caused by youths who are impatient. Guns will not do it. We want to encourage dialogue.” He said.


Daukuro called on the international community to assist oil-producing communities in securing the vast oil resources in order to guarantee supply. “The resource is huge but so also is the challenge.”


He predicted, “Gas will rival or overtake oil very soon” and that Nigeria is well positioned to take a lead in the gas market.


Daukoru urged oil-producing countries to be transparent in their operations by opening up the process to independent audit.


http://www.thetimesofnigeria.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=538&Itemid=0