The Nation Newspaper

Tag: John Ofikhenua

  • Nine firms bid for monitoring of power sector 

    • BPE to compute results of bids 

    The National Council on Privatization (NCP) on Tuesday opened bids of nine firms that were jostling for technical consultancy for power sector monitoring. 

    Besides, eight firms, including the University of Jos competed for investing in five subsidiaries of the Nigerian Mining Corporation (NMC).

    During the bidding, University of Jos, offered N30million for Naraguta Bricks & Clay Company Jos- Core Investor Sale, although it was said to be below the reserved price.

     PWC offered N34,216,000 for lot six comprising Geregu Generation Company Limited –Thermal, Ughelli Generation Company Limited – Thermal, Sapele Generation Company Limited – Thermal, Afam Generation Company Limited – Thermal and Egbin Power Plant, Ikorodu, Lagos. 

    The NCP Technical Committee chairman, Mr M.K. Ahmed moderated the bidding proceedings in Abuja. 

    At the end of the proceedings, according to the Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr Alex Okoh, at least four to six firms would emerge after the equalisation of the technical and financial results. 

    He added that “Thereafter, results will be recommended to the NCP for approval. The Bureau will then commence negotiation of the contract terms with the firms that subsequently emerge from this process.”

    Ahmed had said that the bids were submitted by prospective investors for Maiduguri Bricks, Naraguta Bricks, NIMCO Terrazo, Gano Quarry and Kujama Quarry and technical consultants for power sector monitoring. 

    The Technical Committee chairman noted that “There are eight companies bidding for the five subsidiaries of NMC. We are also opening of the financial proposals of the nine firms that have been pre-qualified to move to this stage of the procurement process to engage technical consultancy service for the monitoring of the privatised Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Successor Companies (SCs).”

    He was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Restructuring, Mrs. Ime Okon, who told journalists that the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) would compute the bids results and send them to the NCP for approval.

    Asked to state the conclusion of the bids, he said that “What I understand from what we have just done now is that all the results will be computed and sent to the National Council on Privatization (NCP) for final approval.”

    During the exercise, some of the firms bided in foreign currency which the moderator said would be converted with the current exchange rates.

    The five subsidiaries of the NMC companies for which financial bids will be opened yesterday were : *Naraguta Bricks & Clay Company Ltd, Jos Plateau State

    *Maiduguri Bricks & Clay Products Ltd, Maiduguri *Terrazzo Company Limited (NTL), Gurum, Jos, Plateau State *Kujama Quarry, Kaduna *Gano Quarry, Kano State.

    The power companies that were offered for bidding were Lot one that included Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Jos Electricity Distribution Company Plc. 

    Lot two included: Benin Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc.

    Lot three that comprised Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company Plc. Lot four included Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company Plc’ Kano Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Yola Electricity Distribution Company Plc. Lot five consisted of 

    Kainji Hydro Electric Power Plc and Shiroro Hydro Electric Power Plc. Meanwhile, other six comprised Geregu Generation Company Limited –Thermal, Ughelli Generation Company Limited – Thermal, Sapele Generation Company Limited – Thermal, Afam Generation Company Limited – Thermal and Egbin Power Plant, Ikorodu, Lagos. 

    Ahmed said that at the deadline for the submission of technical and financial proposals, BPE received seventeen proposals from the under-listed firms. 

    The technical proposals were evaluated in the presence of the Department of State Security Service and the BPE Anti-Corruption Unit officials. 

    He said that PWC scored 91.7, Halcrow Infrastructure Ltd scored 85.3, Indra/Sigrum Africa Ltd scored, 

    82, Fluentgrid Ltd  (formerly known as Phoneix  Powering Utilities)

    81.88, Emtech Energy Services Ltd s scored 81.8, Alsdur Ltd scored 80.32, Feedback Infra Private Ltd., India & Derekson Ltd. Nigeria scored 78.12, Energy People/Nextier Consulting scored 77.77 and Pakistan Engineering Services (PVT) Ltd. & OskanJo & Partners Ltd scored 75.28. 

    From the expression of interest for the GENCO the bidders were ranked as follows: 

    PWC 92.42, Halcrow Infrastructure Ltd 84.27, Fluentgrid Ltd (formerly known as Phoneix  Powering Utilities) 82, Indra/Sigrum Africa Ltd, 80.44 and Energy People/Nextier Consulting 77.14.

  • ‘Fire outbreak in Kachikwu house not sabotage’

    ‘Fire outbreak in Kachikwu house not sabotage’

    The fire outbreak in the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu Abuja house was not an act of sabotage, it was learnt on Monday.

    The Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Idang Alibi, who confirmed that there was a fire accident in the house, described the accident as a normal domestic accident that could happen in any house. 

    Asked on phone to confirm whether there was a fire accident in the house as reported in online media, the Deputy Director, responded in the affirmative.

                      Related: Fire guts kachikwu’s residence

    He said “yes.”

    There were reports in the social media that minister’s residence caught fire on Sunday.

    But pressed to give details of the circumstances that resulted in the fire, the director said that “it was a normal fire outbreak that happens in a house. If you are suspecting that it is an act of sabotage, it is not. It is a normal usual fire outbreak that happens in any home.”

    He, however, noted that the fire only had a negligible effect on the house”

    Alibi said: “The damage was not much.”

  • Judges, AEDC move to curtail electricity theft

    Judges, AEDC move to curtail electricity theft

    The Abuja Electricity Distribution Companies (AEDC) and judges of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday moved to curtail electricity theft in Abuja, Niger and Nassarawa States.

    Speaking in Abuja during a two-day workshop organized by the AEDC on electricity theft and related matters for judges in the FCT, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Ernest Mupwaya, said that the company and judges could share information that would curtail electricity theft.

    According to him, liquidity is the major problem that the sector is grappling with, which is consequent upon electricity theft and energy that is unaccounted for. 

    He recalled that while privatizing the power entities, the capability to reduce losses was an important consideration. 

    Mupwaya said that: “A major problem that we are facing in the sector is characterized by liquidity challenge. But if we analyze further the main reason that underpins the liquids challenge can be traced to the theft of electricity and unaccounted for energy in the sector. 

    “Because in order to have attained improvement in the sector there has to be efficient in the way the energy is being accounted for. There have to be deliberate processes that should curtail theft of electricity. 

    “Theft of electricity is real. It is for that reason that when the bidders for this these privatized entities put in their bids, the most important consideration for winning or procuring an asset was the aggressiveness of the program of addressing the losses.”

    He said there is a relationship between the electricity consumed in a country and its level of development.

    The Managing Director noted that if electricity theft is not addressed, it will continue to negate all the improvement efforts of the company. 

    Describing electricity is a national asset  FCT Chief Justice, Justice Ishak  Bello, promised that the judiciary will support the company to protect its facilities.

    He said that it was a moment to stimulate the mind of the service provider that reawakens the judiciary towards the organization, it is also a moment to see to so many situations such as abrupt power outage, an installation that leads to fire outbreak.

    He asked the power firm to fashion ways of averting such occurrences, stressing that if AEDC is not rising to its responsibilities litigations may come for the claim. 

    The Chief Justice informed the judges that the workshop was to for them to understand the workings of the AEDC for them to be able to follow the sequence of argument when the subject matter comes to their court. 

    He added that “you will easily comprehend the argument and understand and at the end of the day you will be able to know the sides fairly and justly decide.”

    He told the judges that the workshop was for them to see the type of services being delivered by the service provider and the penalties that are there.

    Bello described electricity as the most vital of the critical infrastructure and key resource that support the society, noting that “it will not be out of place to describe it as a national asset and it must be protected.

    Bello said that “As an arm of government, we in the judiciary are glad for major stakeholders like AEDC to collaborate in ensuring that this essential commodity is available to all and of course that power investments are well protected within the ambit of the law.”

  • NERC fines IBEDC over failure to recover N5.75b from investor

    NERC fines IBEDC over failure to recover N5.75b from investor

    Following the outcome of an open book review conducted on the financial records of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company plc (IEDC), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) found the company wanting on two grounds of inappropriate financial transactions and was subsequently fined a sum of N50m.

    The fine was account of its failure to secure a refund of an interest free loan of N5.75billion the Board of IEDC granted to its core investor group.

    Information from the Commission indicates that the industry regulator is also reviewing the utilisation of NEMSF in all other distribution companies.

    NERC’s Head, Public Affairs Department, Dr. Usman Arabi disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

    The Commission had, vide its Order 173, directed IEDC to recover the sum of N5.7bn being the balance of the inappropriate loan of N6bn granted by the utility to IEDMG, the core investor in Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company plc.

    The loan was sourced from a total sum of N11.367bn disbursed to IEDC under the Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Fund granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria towards the improvement of infrastructure in the company including metering. The repayment of the loan to CBN by the 11 distribution companies has continued to be made as a first charge on the revenues of the companies.

    The Commission has reaffirmed that it will pursue the full recovery of the misused funds from IEDC including the accrued interest at NIBOR + 10%.

  • Minister, Plan International advocate rights of girl-child

    Minister, Plan International advocate rights of girl-child

    The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu on Wednesday joined other proponents of the girl-child rights to advocate for rights and opportunities for girls worldwide.

    It was at the event organized by Plan International- an independent global rights organization committed to supporting vulnerable and marginalized children and their communities to be free from poverty.

    Represented by Ariba Opeyemi in Abuja at the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, the minister said that the United Nations has set October 11 for promoting the rights of girls and addressing the unique challenges they face.

    The theme was: “Unlock the Power of Girls Now.”

    He noted that the day promotes girls’ human rights, highlights gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys and addresses the various forms of discrimination and abuses suffered by girls around the world.

    According to Adamu, the ministry has in its effort to boost girl-child education developed the National Policy in Gender Education to ensure that gender is systematically mainstreamed into all components of the education sector.

    He said that the policy goal is to ensure equal access to basic education and promote retention, competition and high performance for all pupils which require attention and provisions for particularly the disadvantaged children especially girls at the basic education level.

    The minister said that the ministry has put in place some strategies to encourage girl-child education in schools which includes advocacy and sensitization.

    He added that there are also incentives for girls including scholarship schemes funded by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

    Adamu was thankful to the organizer, Plan International Nigeria for its quest for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

    His words: “Your contributions to the lives of our young children especially the girls will go a long way to help in living fulfilled lives and ensuring that the girl-child is educated.”

    Speaking, Country Director, Plan International Nigeria, Hussaini Abdu said that Nigeria’s commitment and capacity to meet the SDG vision 2030 target will substantially depend on the level of investment in adolescent girls.

    He added that commitment to the adolescent girl will help strengthen this important age category, deal with the structural inequality and discrimination, and help break the structural inequality and discrimination, and help break the circle of poverty and exclusion.

    Abdu submitted that “to achieve this, government, development partners and civil society groups will need to invest in targeted programmes, advocate and develop adolescent-specific policies and programmes and involve them in the decision- making processes.”

    He had earlier revealed that there are about 600million adolescent girls between age 10 to 19 in the world, each with boundless individual potential, but limited opportunities.

    He said that they are less recognized and given limited attention and almost vanishing from public awareness and the international development agenda.

    According to him, adolescent girls are faced with structural challenges of inequalities in education, access to public health protection and even targeted development interventions.

    He insisted that investing in adolescent girls can have enormous multiplier effects on their development and contribute to creating a better world by 2030.

    Meanwhile, the former Ambassador of Ethiopia, Nkoyo Toyo, called for the use of basic income and effective public campaigns to bring about the wholesale change in attitudes to ensure that girls and women are valued equally with boys and men.

    She said that the “basic income will put the girl out there invisible ways and places of power and help them to seek ways to influence their circumstances.”

  • NNPC: Buhari’s silence not helping matters – CSO

    NNPC: Buhari’s silence not helping matters – CSO

    The reaction of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Maikanti Baru to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu memo to President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, attracted its own reaction.

    Speaking with The Nation on phone, Convener, Say no Campaign, Ezenwa Mwagwu, urged Buhari, who doubles as the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources to make clarifications on the ranging war of words in the NNPC over award of contract, insubordination and sidelining of Kachikwu from the scheme of things.

    According to him, Buhari should confirm whether Baru presented the report to him and also awarded the contract within the threshold that the Federal Executive Council allowed.

    The member of the Civil Society Organization said that since the president promoted Kachikwu to become the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, the latter has become irrelevant in the oil and gas industry.

    Ezenwa noted that all the powers in the industry now reside with Buhari and Baru, while Kachikwu is only an onlooker.

    He said that “I think the intervening power of the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, (Buhari), who has the responsibility to clear the air on most of the issues.

    Stressing that the issues are about procurement, the activist noted that some critics may have veered of the point to conclude that money is missing.

    Ezemwa submitted that it may not necessarily mean that money is missing.

    He explained that “The issues are around procurement- who has the right to do what. The country is waiting for Buhari to intervene to put an end to the conversation.

    The people talking about money missing have already missed the point because it is about contract award and not necessarily money.”

    He said that: “The silence of the minister (Buhari) has not assisted in putting an end to that rivalry . I know that the BPP has intervened to say issues about procurement and contracts. The minister (Buhari) himself should also come out and state categorically what all of this means.

    “The power is with the GMD and the minister. Having promoted him out of relevance do you still think he has some power? That is why I am asking the substantive minister of petroleum to put an end to the conservation by stating whether him and the Federal Executive Council operated within the threshold that Baru talked about.”

    He said that he submitted the report the minister and Kachikwu is not the minister. He (Buhari) should tell us and his silence is not helping matters.”

    Meanwhile, the Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, said that Baru acted with the support of the president, who has refused to react to the issue.

    The advocate of good governance in the oil and gas industry added that Baru “acted with the backing of Mr. President. It wouldn’t have ever happened.”

    According to him, it is unfortunate that Kachikwu has not realized that it is time for him to resign.

    Ugolor said that “Now, he (Kachikwu) has not only been deeply embarrassed but he has also been deeply insulted.”

    He recalled that what happened to the secretary of the NNPC in Jonathan’s administration, Dr. Yinka Omoruke was summarily dismissed by the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke is now repeating itself.

    The minister had overwhelming influence in the government but now the NNPC boss is wielding the power.

    Ugolor noted that Kachikwu is protecting the interest of the citizenry but doubted whether Nigerians will be there for him when he is facing the music.

    He urged Nigerians to take their destiny into their hands, noting that “if they think that Buhari is going to rescue them, they (Nigerians) are on their own. This is not the first, not the third and not the last, they should not expect any miracle from President Buhari.”

  • More power plants underway – NDPHC

    More power plants underway – NDPHC

    …at procurement stage for South East projeccts.

    The Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) on Tuesday said more power plants are underway and the next stage is to mobilize the contractors to sight.

    The company that is in charge of the projects under the Nigeria Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) has secured procurement approval for the power projects from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Chinedu Ugbo disclosed this to reporters during the 20th Power Sector Stakeholders’ meeting in Owerri.

    He said that: “More power plants are coming like the ExxonMobil power plant and a number of other plants being conceived along that corridor.

    “We have received all the approvals we needed from government including the Bureau of Public Procurement so the next stage now will be to mobilize the contractors to site and we are going to do that a few days from now. So that they will go back to site.

    “The government of Akwa-Ibom State working with us has helped us to resolve the right of way issue and we will soon again stat the payment of compensation so that the communities can allow us to pass and construct the lines.”

    The Managing Director also noted that the NDPHC has received approval from the federal government to commence the sale of Omotoso, Geregu and Calabar power plants.

    Discussions on the sale, according to him, have already reached advanced stage and the sale would have been closed by now except for market liquidity challenges.

    He said that government is doing everything in its power to resolve whatever that would hinder the private sector from taking over the power plants.

    According to him, all the 10 power plants are billed for sale to the private sector and He once the company gets the necessary approval it will conclude the sale of the the plants.

    Ugbo said that: “National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) the mandate is to build and sell. It is a project company. The sale will affect the 10 power plants ultimately but right now we have received approval to start with three: that is Calabar Geregu, and Omotosho.

    “Discussions have advanced. Except for the market issues, the liquidity problems in the market.

    We would have closed by now. But we are doing everything possible to resolve that. Government: the Hon. Minister, the Vice President are working in the mandate of the president, we trying to resolve all the issues that would impinge the private sector coming in.
    “So as soon as they are resolved, strategies are being provided offers are being offered and we are working on that. So once we get the necessary approval we will close the sale.”

    The Managing Director said the contractors Enagu which is handling the 330KV sub-station and the turn-in, turnout is already procuring the transformers.

    He added that the 132kV line extension is being done by Pivot Engineering, which is now implementing the civil works while it procures the materials from its foreign manufacturers.

    Continuing, he noted that the company is executing projects at Okija, Ihiala, Nnewi adding that the foundation of the line from Ihiala to Nnewi has been done by the contractor – North China.

    He stressed that “We are at the procurement stage for the materials for the towers, so that once they are are done they build the tower and build the stretching to the sub-station at Nwewi which is being built directly by TCN.”

    The work, he said, has progressed substantially, that the NDPHC hopes to commission it on schedule .
    In the South South, he said that Afam, Ikot-Ekpene line is progressing , although the project was vandalized, it would soon be completed on scheduled.

    Ugbo added that “one line that is outstanding is the Ikot-Ekpene, Ikot-Abasi line which will help the evacuation of the existing power plants. At least that is a bumper.”

  • Stakeholder to Buhari: Don’t ignore Kachikwu’s memo

    Stakeholder to Buhari: Don’t ignore Kachikwu’s memo

    More reactions on Thursday trailed the memo of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu to President Muhammadu Buhari alleging the unilateral award of $25billion contract by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru. 

    The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (NEITI) Technical Adviser, Dr Dauda Garuba urged the president to wade into the crisis because $25billion is too huge an amount to consummate its contract without due process.

    Whichever way one looks at it, $25 billion is too huge an amount to build contracts around without due process. We are supposed to be a country guided by rules and procedures. We must make Nigeria work.

    Garuba said that if it is established that there are infractions as alleged by the Minister of States for Petroleum Resources, the necessary sanctions must be deployed.

                   Related: Kachikwu protests award of $25b contracts by NNPC

    He insisted that Mr President must demonstrate that he meant business when he promised Nigerians to reform the oil sector. 

    He expressed fear that the revelation came only when there was a ray of hope that the sector was being reformed.

    Garuba, an advocate of transparency accountability in the oil and gas sector, noted insisted that sector cannot afford to reverse its reform in the last two years.

                   Trending: Ogun state owes N103b debt – Amosun

    He said that: “I must say that it is unfortunate that the Nigeria public is being unenviably treated to unpleasant developments in the oil sector. If you ask me, this is coming at a wrong time in our history. Just when we are expecting a reform of the sector so that it can deliver the country out of the wounds, we are having to deal with this. 

    “So much progress has been recorded in the reform of the oil sector in the last two years that Nigeria cannot afford to turn back the hand of the clock. I know Nigerians are yet to hear from the other side.

    “It will be fair that those who leaked the memo by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to President Muhammadu Buhari also live up to their sophistry in access to secret information by obliging Nigerians the response by the Group Managing Director of NNPC. President Muhammadu Buhari must step in and do the needful.”

  • NNPC recommissions Ibadan depot 

    NNPC recommissions Ibadan depot 

    Products supply and distribution have received a huge boost in Oyo State and the South West region of the country, following the re-commissioning of the Ibadan Depot of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday.

    Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, who flagged off the resumption of loading operations at the Depot, said the re-commissioning was in fulfilment of the Presidential mandate of revamping the nation’s critical oil and gas infrastructure for the benefit of the citizenry.

    “It is one of the key mandates of the present administration to revamp these abandoned assets and put them back to work for the overall security and improvement of petroleum products supply and distribution for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Dr. Baru stated.

    The GMD noted that Nigeria’s energy supply security is underpinned by a robust pipeline network of over 8000km used for the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas, of which NNPC has the largest downstream footprint with over 5,120km of pipeline network and 21 depots spread around the country.

    He, however, expressed dismay that over the years, these critical national assets had become the subject of incessant vandalism, theft and sabotage which result in huge loss of revenue, lives and property as well as serious damage to the environment.

    The corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu made this disclosure in a statement yesterday.

    He quoted Baru as saying that “It is rather unfortunate that any time oil pipelines and associated facilities are vandalized, our ability to supply petroleum products to the nation is hampered, and the livelihood of many law abiding people negatively impacted.”

    He informed that since coming on board, the NNPC has re-streamed a number of its pipelines, leading to a massive resumption of loading operations in Depots within those areas.

    Baru said NNPC had rehabilitated its System 2E (Port Harcourt to Aba), System 2D (Kaduna to Kano) and the Atlas Cove to Mosimi segment of the System 2B pipeline, which has led to the commissioning of Aba, Kano and Mosimi depots.

    While noting that efforts were also underway to re-commission the remaining parts of the System 2B pipeline (Mosimi to Ore depot and from Ibadan to Ilorin depot), the GMD also announced the conclusion of rehabilitation work on the System 2E (Aba – Enugu) pipeline segment.

    “Very soon, these depots will experience the impact of our collective resolve to get the critical infrastructure back on stream,” he added.

    He commended the Oyo State Government for its consistent support over the years, which has immensely contributed to safeguarding NNPC’s Pipeline Right of Way (PROW) that feeds the Ibadan Depot.

    Responding, the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, described the resumption of loading operations in the area as “a great development which would have a major impact on the socio-economic well-being of Oyo people and the entire South West region.

    “Today, I am happy because the resuscitation of this depot has brought about a great impact on our economic value chain which will be seen in commerce, industry and employment generation for our people” the Governor stated.

    Governor Ajimobi also heaped praises on the GMD, calling him “a reformer, transformer as well as an actualiser” who has been working tirelessly to achieve the Corporation’s objectives.

    “Having worked in this place as Area Manager for National Oil back in the eighties, I can tell you that this is the first time in many years that a sitting GMD is giving these facilities the attention they so much deserved,” the Governor noted.

    While assuring the GMD of his support towards securing NNPC’s Pipeline Right of Way (PROW) across the state, the Governor pledged to provide vehicles for security operatives patrolling pipelines within the state.

    In their separate remarks, critical downstream stakeholders of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and National Road Transport Owners (NARTO) all commended Dr. Baru for ensuring the re-streaming of numerous depots across the country which has led to the robust product supply and distribution across the country.

    It would be recalled that in May this year, the GMD was in Kano to re-commission the Kaduna-Kano pipeline.

  • Kachikwu’s petition: CSO seeks conclusion of PIGB

    Kachikwu’s petition: CSO seeks conclusion of PIGB

    The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), on Thursday, called on the National Assembly and President Muhammadu Buhari to conclude the passage and assent of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill.

    A conclusion of the enactment, according to the Civil Society Organization, will forestall the reoccurrence of the issues in the oil and gas sector that the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu alleged against the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru in his petition to President Buhari.

    The petition was on the arbitrary award of $25 billion contracts, insubordination, among other infractions of the NNPC boss.  

    ANEEJ Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor made the call for the enactment of the PIGB  in a statement to journalists in Abuja yesterday. 

    He applauded the Senate for moving quickly to unravel allegations of inappropriateness levelled by the Minister of State, noting that the response of Mr President concerning the allegations of disregard for due process in the award of contracts by the NNPC GM, would define the perception of the reforms which have been going on in the oil sector.

    Ugolor said that “Since the Senate has waded into the matter, we suggest that Mr President as well must invite the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, to carry out a comprehensive and forensic audit of the allegations. 

    “Among statutory functions of the NEITI include the regulation of matters related to the due process in the award of contracts in the extractive sector of the Nigerian sector.

    “We believe that the inconsistencies being thrown up by the startling revelations from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources include some of the issues which the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill seeks to address and redress’, the Rev Ugolor has pointed out.”

    The statement noted that in anticipation of such a rift in the industry, ANEEJ anticipated wrote an online petition. 

    The statement reads in parts: “The present administration since inception has defined itself first through its corruption stance, and more by the reforms it has introduced in the oil sector. It scrapped the opaque oil swap which made it possible for individuals within government to line their pockets with millions of dollars and has replaced it with the Direct Sale, Direct Purchase scheme.

    “That lofty plan of Direct Sale, Direct Purchase stands in jeopardy if all the contracts that have been awarded and the companies they have been awarded are not subject to thorough vetting and investigations by both the Senate and the NEITI.”