TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says he will be the minister of petroleum resources in his about-to-be-announced new cabinet.

The list of other ministers is expected to be made public any time soon but the president said his decision to take over petroleum ministry is to sanitise the oil industry,  which he alleged has been plagued by massive fraud.

“I will remain minister of petroleum but will appoint a minister of state for petroleum,” he told selected reporters in New York after addressing a global leaders’ summit on terrorism on Tuesday.

Buhari said his first step in ridding the oil industry of corruption is the appointment of a new management for the NNPC and its subsequent reorganisation.

He said there was no going back on the prosecution of those who misappropriated NNPC’s revenue under past administrations,  describing corruption as the root of all the problems hindering the growth of Nigeria.

Buhari served as minister of petroleum in the military regime.