The Federal Government has constituted a technical committee for the integration of artisanal and domestic refiners into mainstream petroleum refining in Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Friday.

Adudua said the development followed the approval of President Bola Tinubu to the persistent request of artisanal and domestic refiners for inclusion into mainstream crude oil refining.

The statement said, “In a landmark move towards sustainable energy sources and advancement in the oil and gas sector, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Gabriel Aduda has inaugurated a technical committee charged with the responsibility to fashion out ways and means of integrating artisanal refiners, domestic refiners into the main stream crude oil refining.

“In its opening remark, Adadua said that the persistent requests by the artisanal oil refiners were brought to the attention of President Bola Tinubu who directed the ministry to review and propose the way forward.

“Aduda subsequently approved the proposal to constitute a technical committee on subsidy removal without tear and integration of the artisanal oil refining operations into the in-country oil refinery programme.

“The terms of the reference of the committee were to develop materials and framework for the sensitisation and integration of the mini and artisanal refineries into mainstream crude oil refining, to ascertain the technology, skills and global best practises in the petroleum industry amongst others,” he added. (New Telegraph)