Leadership (Abuja)
Chuks Ohuegbe, Andrew Oota And Stanley Yakubu
19 November 2008
Abuja — Ministerial nominee and erstwhile President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Alhaji Rilwanu Luman may serve as a minister in the President Umaru Yar 'Adua's government for only a year, if he makes it through at the senate screening.
Meanwhile, true to speculations, the Senate President, David Mark yesterday announced the names of the new ministerial nominees of President Umaru Alhaji Musa Yar'Adua for screening and confirmation for appointment as ministers of the government of Nigeria.
Lukman, globally respected in petroleum and energy circle, is one of the 13 names of the presidency forwarded yesterday to the Senate for screening and clearance as ministers in the to-be-rejuvenated federal cabinet.
HOWever, LEADERSHIP investigations confirmed that Alhaji Lukman, 72, initially declined the offer but decided on second thoughts to serve with a proviso, he pleaded to serve as a full cabinet member only for a year, citing his age and the need for him to play a less active role in public service, henceforth.
President Yar'Adua, LEADERSHIP gathered impressed it on Dr Rilwanu Lukman that there is the need for him to conic on board lo implement his recommendations on how to improve the petroleum and energy sector.
Lukman had chaired the committee that earlier made some useful recommendations to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.An ex-oil minister and diplomat, Lukman was made top energy advisor to President Obasanjo in June 1999. Lukman served the Obasanjo government for-four years before he resigned in November 2003,Lukman's served Obasanjo in an advisory Capacity in the presidency at Abuja. He was the one who dissolve the pressing petroleum issues and prepared the main derisions (of Obasanjo, though he was by no means equivalent to an oil minister. His powers were limited as Obasanjo retained the petroleum portfolio.Although Obasanjo often look his advice, Lukman faced obstacles resulting from a power struggle within the federal cabinet. Acting in parallel, and often as a rival, was Funsho Kupolokun, a "special assistant to the president on petroleum affairs, who later headed the NNPC.Rilwanu Lukman succeeded Godwin Aret Adams to assume this position.The formal presentation of the twelve-man list to the Senate is in accordance with section 147 of the 1999 constitution.
In a letter from President Umaru Yar'Adua, addressed to the Senate President David Mark, he solicited the co-operation of the Senate to expedite action on the list of nominees.
Those that made the ministerial list include Director-General of the National agency for Drugs Administration Food and Control (NAFDAC), (Anambra), former Ebonyi State Governor, Dr. Sam Egwu Ebonvi), Ibrahim Yakubu lame (Bauchi), Dr. Shetima Mustapha (Borno). Dr. Rilwanu Lukman (Kaduna), Architect Nuhu Somo (Kaduna), Sani Muhammed Ndanusa (Niger), Senator Bello Jubril Gada (Sokoto), Jubril Maigeri (Yobe), Ikra Aliyu Bilbis (Zamfara) ,lbrahim Kazaure (Jigawa), Professor Babatunde Osotimehin (Ogun).
LEADERSHIP however, gathered that the rest of the nominees from the states not represented in the Federal! Executive Council were still undergoing security screening,Similarly, the Senate also confirmed the nomination of chairman and members of the board of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The confirmation of the board chairman and its members was upon a report of the Senate Committee on Works, presented by Senator Julius Ucha.Those confirmed in a unanimous decision include Chief Ernest Shonekan as chairman of the ICRC board from the South-West Hakeem Sanusi (South-West), Mansur Ahmed (North-West), Bernard Ver (North-Central), Clement Owunna (South-East), Comfort Saro Wiwa (South-South), Joe Kyari - Gadzama (North - East and Aisha Sheikh (North-West),Lukman was born in February 1938 at Zaria in Kaduna State. He received Higher education in mining at the University of London from 1959 to "1962). He got a higher degree as a mining engineer from the University of Mining and Metallurgy in Loeber, Austria (1967-68).
In the regime of" Gen. Buhari, Lukman served as Minister of Mini's, Power and Steel from 1984 to 1985. In. February 1986, he was made petroleum minister and held that post until February 1990. From 1986 he served eight consecutive terms as OPEC president.
In March 1990 he became Minister of foreign Affairs. He lost that post after Babangida resigned in 1993, He was elected as OPRC Secretary General on Nov. 22, 1994. He succeeded Dr. Subroto of Indonesia, whose term of three years had ended on June 30.
Lukman was a compromise figure for that post, between two competing candidates -Hossein Kazempour Ardebili of Iran and Alirio Parra. of Venezuela, Lukman was re-elected (o a second term in 1997. Later he became a key force behind a price defence deal reached by Iran and Saudi Arabia in early '1999. This led to the March agreement between 0PEC and four non-OPEC stales on oil production cuts which, eventually, helped world crude oil prices rise more than three-fold from $9/ barrel in late 1998.
Unlike his predecessor Adams who favoured a complete overhaul of the petroleum industry, Lukman believes NNPC should be restructured and made a truly commercial enterprise,the advice he gave Yar'Adua which the president wants him to come and implement.
However, Lukman does not agree that the NNPC should divest its controlling stake in the oil producing JVS. nor is he keen on a rapid deregulation of the domestic fuel market.
He also favours maximizing gas production for export and the local market. In mid-2000, he and Algerian Energy Minister, Chakib Khelil, agreed to study a gas export pipeline to Europe through Algeria as a joint project.
In October 1987, Lukman became the first African recipient of the Imperial College of Science and Technology Fellowship Award, tic also served as president of the African Petroleum Producers' Association, president of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society and vice president of the Association of International Development.
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