APPLAUSE AS BARRISTER EMEKA MGBUDEM TAKES OVER AT THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES AND NATURAL GAS DEVELOPMENT TO REPOSITION THE SECTOR.
By Dr. Engr. Odo Ijere
One of the New Commissioners that was engaged by the 3R government of His Excellency, Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma on the 29th of April, 2024 is the Nwangele born, Isu clan, Imo illustrious son and mega businessman, Barrister Emeka Mgbudem who was appointed to man the Petroleum and Natutal Gas Ministry in Imo State.
Barrister Emeka Mgbudem is an erudite corporate lawyer and private sector player who founded Owen Chambers based in Victoria Island, Lagos. He is a leadership consultant and public policy expert with post graduate training in justice administration, arbitration, corporate governance and social policy from Kings College, University of London and Harvard University.
He is expected to bring his experience of many years of practice and triteness in international best practices in the oil and gas industry to reposition the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry to take maximum advantage of the vast oil and gas resources in Imo State and reposition it as a prime player among the oil and gas rich Niger Delta States.
Barrister Emeka Mgbudem has come on board at a time the policy drivers of the 3R Imo economic catholicon are eager to place the eastern heartland on the oil and gas map to take its deserving position as a global leader in the oil and gas economy.
Imo, presently playing host to international oil and gas conglomerates like Shell, Agip, Seplat, Waltersmith, Chevron etal also desires to take the center stage in the oil and gas politics at the national and international levels in order to maximize its resources to serve her people.
Barrister Emeka Mgbudem must resume with a mandate for a paradigm shift and take bold new steps in transforming the sector to ensure that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Development Ministry is transformed to a revenue generating agency of government, assume active oversight of the international oil and gas conglomerates operating on Imo soil and enforce international best practices in relation to host communities so that they are not shortchanged in terms of opportunities, payment of royalties and environmental friendly operations as stipulated in the Petroleum Industry Act recently signed into law. He must also leverage the abundant oil and gas deposits in Imo State to attract investments for the economic well being of the state and her citizens.
Clearly, Barrister Emeka Mgbudem is coming as a transformational leader with experience in transaction facilitation to ensure that the vast oil and gas deposits under the soil of Ndi Imo should be a blessing rather than a curse to the people.
Ndi Imo thank His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma for finding Barrister Mgbudem worthy of this assignment for which many of his admirers strongly attest is an appointment that represents a round peg in a round hole which will bring big value to governance in Imo State.
A big congratulations to the erudite and urbane Barrister Mgbudem for an appointment well deserved.
Dr. Engr. Odo Ijere.
