NIGERIANS
who are interested in operating oil blocks in the oil-reach Equatorial Guinea
now have a chance to do so, as the President of the country, Obiang Nguema
Mbasogo, on Friday expressed his willingness to make the oil blocks available
to them.
Speaking at a joint press conference with
President Goodluck Jonathan in Malabo at the end of Jonathan’s two-day official
visit to that country, Mbasogo said his country would like to rely on the vast
experience of Nigerians in the oil business to develop Equatorial Guinea’s oil
and gas sector.
He said: “It is true that Nigeria has been
in the oil and gas business for the past 40 to 50 years, whereas Equatorial
Guinea just started recently.
The experience that you have is far larger
than ours. That is why we place our trust and confidence in our Nigerian
brothers to help and assist us to develop the sector.
“In the past, we allocated oil concession
to members of this sector from Nigeria but for one reason or the other, this
did not actually yield the fruits expected. Nevertheless, we are still willing
to offer oil concessionary blocks to those business people from Nigeria who
will be willing to try their luck again.”
Fielding questions from reporters, Jonathan
expressed delight about the level of cordial relations between Nigeria and
Equatorial Guinea, which he observed have been maintained from pre-colonial and
colonial times. He said he was delighted to hear from President Mbasogo that
Nigerians in the country were well behaved.
The two heads of state reiterated their
support for the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in the
search for lasting solutions to the conflicts plaguing the states of the
Central African Republic, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Guinea
Bissau.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan has been
conferred with the award of Grand Collar of the Order of Independence, the
highest national honour in Equatorial Guinea.
President Mbasosgo decorated Jonathan with
the medal at a state dinner organised in his honour at the Presidential Palace
in Malabo on Thursday night.
He said it was in recognition of his
contributions to peace, stability and development of the oil-rich country.
Source: Tribune
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