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The chequered history of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) dates back to 1973 when the Fund was established under a Military Decree (now Act) No. 25 of 1973 (its forerunner was the now defunct Gulf Oil Company Fund). Section 2 of Act No. 25 of 1973 establishing the Fund provides that the Fund shall be available for the purpose of training Nigerians to qualify as Graduates, Professionals, Technicians and Craftsmen, in the fields of engineering, geology, science and management in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria or abroad. Specifically, the referred section further provides that the Fund shall utilize its resources for the following major purposes:
a) To provide scholarships and bursaries, wholly or partially in the Universities, Collages, Institutions and in Nigeria or abroad;
b) To maintain, supplement, or subsidise such training or education as mentioned above;
c) To make suitable endowments to faculties in Nigerian Universities, Collages or institutions as approved by the minister
d) To make available suitable books and training equipment in the institutions aforesaid
e) For sponsoring regular or as necessary visits to oil fields, refineries, petrochemical plants, and for arranging any necessary attachments of personnel to establishments connected with the development of the oil and gas industry; and
f) For financing of and participation in seminars and conferences which are connected with oil and gas industry in Nigeria or Abroad.
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The Fund was administratively sheltered under the management of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (MPR). However this was later to change when in 2000, it was moved to the Presidency when its fortunes changed positively and tremendously. For the 27 years (i.e.1973-2000) when it was under the supervision and management of both the MPR and DPR respectively, the Fund was largely unknown to the Nigerian general public and the generality of oil and gas industry stakeholders.
The reason for its very long unobtrusive presence is not farfetched. The amounts of money in the kitty of the Fund were not that huge and sizeable enough to draw and attract public attention and the usual bureaucratic rat race to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fund. It was only in 2000, when President Obasanjo’s civilian administration started putting into practice Open and Competitive bidding principles for oil bloc acreages allocation that huge sums of money started filling up the Fund’s purse in the range of billions of naira. Presumably, that was what necessitated the taking away the Fund from the supervision and management of the MPR and DPR by the Presidency.
With these new developments, the Presidency quickly set up a new administrative and management structure for the Fund with the Office of the Vice President as the anchor. This gave rise to the establishment of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) in September 2000 headed by the then Special Adviser to the president on Petroleum and Energy Matters, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman (i.e. the current Petroleum Minister). The IMC operated under the direct supervision of the then Vice President Atiku Abubakar up to 2005. A pioneer substantive Executive Secretary (ES)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was subsequently appointed in the person of Alhaji (Dr.) Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar (alias Mai Rago) from Kaduna State (2000-2005).
The period 2000-2005 was a remarkable one in the history of the existence of the Fund. For example, it was during this period that the Fund made its marks in translating the objectives for which the Fund was established from mere words into practical realities. For instance, the dreams of thousands of qualified Nigerian youths yearning for advanced and specialized education and training in the oil and gas and related fields became realities. Thousands of qualified Nigerian graduates (including my humble self) benefitted and continue to benefit from the local and Overseas Scholarships schemes established by the Fund in addition to its other numerous laudable programmes, projects and policies.
In Nigeria, more often than not, success attracts envy from some unusual quarters. For example, political interferences suddenly emerged and raging battles for who should be the ES/CEO of the Fund became the order of the day. For instance, the political power brokers in Kaduna State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wanted Dr. Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar removed and insisted that their own chosen man (i.e. Alhaji Mohammed Husaini Jallo) must replace Dr. Yusuf even though President Obasanjo had already approved a second 4-year term for him as the ES/CEO of the Fund.
In addition, the sudden breakdown in the hitherto cordial relationship existing between President Obasanjo and his Vice President, Atiku Abubakar (particularly between 2005 and 2007), as a result of the fallout of the political skirmishes leading to the 2003 presidential election nomination contest/gambit; including the ill-fated Third Term presidential gamble, further compounded the situation.
Thus, between 2005 and 2007, the PTDF became the major focal point of political rat race and gambit by the very powerful and influential members of the ruling political party to control the sudden petroleum windfall rents accruing into the Fund’s purse. Therefore, all sorts of dirty games and tricks were used in order to succeed in controlling the fortunes amassed by the PTDF.
The end result of the conflicts that ensued in the process of the attempts to control the fortunes of the PTDF left its credibility in tartars. For example, the Fund was dragged into the political mud; all sorts of investigations/probes of manufactured and concocted allegations and counter allegations made by the political gladiators and their cohorts against each other were conducted; more often than not, using the instrumentalities of the State, particularly the use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to smear, intimidate and hound political rivals into submission and surrender.
Therefore, between 2005 and 2007, the PTDF experienced serious political turbulences to the extent that, it was headed by three (3) Executive Secretaries/CEOs in quick successions. The incumbent ES/CEO of the Fund, Engineer Muttaqha Rabe Darma (mnse, mnim), took over as its fifth ES/CEO on November 18, 2008 from Alhaji Kabir A. Mohammed, who assumed duty on the 9th of November, 2006. Others who served in the similar capacity between 2005 and 2006 include former local government chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Husaini Jallo, who had a short but controversial tenure and Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, who replaced Alhaji Jallo but also later resigned in November 2006 to contest the 2007 governorship election in Yobe State.
Hence, Engr. Darma, since assumption of office, has unfolded a 5-point development agenda that will guide his stewardship of the Funds toward achieving its aims, objectives and mandate as stated in its enabling Act; with clear vision and mission. This he is doing notwithstanding the enormous daily geopolitical challenges and constant misunderstanding of what the Fund is all about, especially coming from some stakeholders with vested interests.
