Libyan PM blows whistle on conflict between oil minister and NOC boss
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Stressing the importance of stability in Libya's oil sector, Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbaiba has called for settlement of a dispute between Oil Minister Mohamed Aoun and the chairman of the board of directors of the National Oil Company (NOC), Mustafa Sanallah.
On Sunday, Dbaiba met with the concerned parties to find a solution to problems facing the Oil ministry.
According to an official statement, Dbaiba opened the meeting underlining the importance of stability of the oil sector where work must be redoubled to increase output.
He stressed that he would not tolerate obstacles that could compromise the achievement of this goal.
He took note of the comments made by the Minister of Oil, his deputy and the Chairman of the NOC Board of Directors.
"The relaunch of the NOC's operation after six years by the Ministry of Oil and Gas requires an administrative and technical organisation that prepares the ground for this," Dbaiba was quoted as saying in the statement.
The Prime Minister "gave the necessary instructions to solve the problems listed and to avoid their repetition, whatever the reasons, considering that the oil sector is vital for all Libyans and that all administrative or technical measures related to it must be subject to wisdom".
The meeting comes after a dispute between the oil minister and the chairman of the NOC's board of directors, following the minister's request to conduct an administrative investigation into the management of the oil company's boss and his suspension and replacement by board member Jadallah al-Awkali.
Energy experts have warned that the dispute between the oil ministry and the state-owned NOC could have repercussions on investments in Libya, especially after the recent escalation between the two conflicting parties, even if they are both working to find solutions in the coming days.
According to the Libyan newspaper, Al-Wassat, Mr. Dbaiba has decided to maintain Mr. Sanallah at the head of the NOC.
According to the newspaper, the prime minister overruled an earlier decision by the oil and gas minister to sack Sanallah.
"The decision taken by Mr. Dbaiba is likely to calm the unrest in Libya, which holds the largest proven oil reserves in Africa, which will ensure the stability of production," said experts in the energy field.
Sanallah "has always worked to distance the NOC from political disputes in the country as parallel state-owned companies and rival governments vie for control of the east and west of the country," they said.
-0- PANA AD/IN/JSG/BBA/AR 6Sept2021
