Gomes Tasks Staff on Nigeria - Sao Tome Treaty
Chairman of the Nigeria - Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Authority, Carlos Alberto Braganca Gomes has charged the staff of the Authority to brace up for more proactive roles in the execution of the oil exploitation treaty entered into by the two nations.
Gomes, told the workers on assuming of duties yesterday that the "nature of priority accorded the JDZ treaty has imposed enormous responsibility on the JDA requiring every staff to work tirelessly and relentlessly to realise the lofty objectives envisaged in the treaty".
A statement issued by the Authority yesterday, quoted Gomes as expressing intention to pursue diligently the terms of agreement establishing the joint development authority and to facilitate speedy implementation of the remaining aspects of the JDZ.
Prior to his appointment, Gomes was a deputy Director in the Monitoring and inspection Department of the Authority and participated extensively in the negotiations of the JDZ Treaty.
Apart from being the chairman of JDA, he is also overseeing the affairs of the Commercial and Investment Department of the Authority.
Responding on behalf of the staff, Executive Director (Finance and Administration) Mr. Olusola Agboola, stressed the need to improve staff welfare as means of spurring them for greater productivity.
At the last April's meeting of Joint Ministerial Council held in Abuja, a consortium comprising Chevron-Texaco and Exxon Mobil, American multi-national oil companies were granted license to operate one out of the nine oil Blocks tendered in the 2003 Nigeria-Sao Tome and Principe Joint Development Zone (JDZ) Licensing Rounds.
Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Petroleum and Energy Matters, Dr. Edmund Daukoru at the council meeting stressed the need for both parties to fast track the process leading to the resumption oil exploration in the zone.
Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Sao-Tome and Principe (DRSTP) in February 21st, 2001 signed a formal treaty for the joint development of petroleum and other natural resources found in the area of overlapping maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea pending the final settlement of boundary claims by the two countries.
Consequently a Joint Development Authority (JDA) was established to manage mineral exploitation in the zone on behalf of both countries.
|
