President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on Wednesday approved a steering committee to supervise the implementation of the newly signed Petroleum Industry Act.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement titled ‘President Buhari Approves Steering Committee on Petroleum Industry Act.’

The statement names Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva as head of the steering committee.

Other members include Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Dr Nasir Gwarzo, Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mele Kyari, Executive Chairman, FIRS, Muhammad Nami, Representative of the Ministry of Justice, Representative of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Natural Resources, Olufemi Lijadu as External Legal Adviser, while the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Dr Bello Gusau will serve as Head of the Coordinating Secretariat and the Implementation Working Group.

The steering committee shall guide the effective and timely implementation of the PIA in the course of transition to the petroleum industry envisaged in the reform program, and ensure that the new institutions created have the full capability to deliver on their mandate under the new legislation.

The committee has 12 months for the assignment, and periodic updates will be given to the President.