The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo has successfully concluded the defense of dissertation pursuant to obtaining PhD in Environmental Pollution and Toxicology from the University of Calabar.
The exercise which had external and internal examiners in attendance was held in the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Calabar.
Speaking after the successful defense, the elated Minister said he is delighted that the pursuit of his PhD degree was finally coming to an end, adding that, he hopes to be found worthy by the examiners whom he said drilled him vigorously.
While describing how his research topic, which has further broadened his knowledge on the subject, will inform his policy thrust, Hon. Dr. Ekpo noted that, going forward, he is better positioned to steer the Ministry under his Headship by appropriating advantages of the prevalence of natural resources available in the country, especially gas, to drive the economy of the nation, stressing that, “we have gas in sufficient quantity.
Hear him; “Globally, the message is about energy transition in terms of utilisation of gas from fossil fuel to energy form that does not emit so much gas in the environment.
Nigeria is a gas nation where multi-nationals have been engaged in gas flaring. So the research will help me tackle the wastages, and inform my decision making in my operations as Minister of Petroleum Resources (gas).
On how he was able to manage his academic pursuits with his position as Minister, Hon. Ekpo explained that he was very fortunate to have successfully completed his course work for his PhD programme before he was appointed as the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), noting that, what was left was basically his research work.
The Minister used the medium to admonish other Postgraduate students to always choose low budget research topics in order to enable them finish their programme on time.
Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo, used the opportunity to thank his Lecturers, Supervisors, Examiners, Head, Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology and the Provost, College of Post-Graduate Studies for their guidance, tutelage and support throughout the course of the programme.