Oil Production Losses: Sylva’s Aide Apologises over Media Publication

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

A media aide to the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, Horatius Egua, has apologised to Nigerians and industry operators on a media publication, indicating that oil theft and not measurement errors was solely responsible for the country’s massive oil production losses.

Egua had on Monday February 20, 2023 released a statement titled: “Theft, Pipeline Vandalism Responsible for Volumes Of Crude Losses” credited to the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.

But Egua explained that the statement was a working draft which should not have been released to the media for publication as it did not get the clearance of the minister.

Egua in the apology stated: “The statement was not in any way released to denigrate the reputation of the head of any agency or government official or to dispute the figures released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). It was released in error.

” I apologise for  any discomfort or inconveniences the statement may have caused by its release.”