As Senate Moves to End Economic Sabotage in Oil and Gas Sector…

The determination of the leadership of the 10th Senate to explore the difficult terrain of tackling the massive sabotage occasioned by criminal activities and corruption in the oil and gas sector of the economy has once again, forced Nigerians to put the Red Chamber on the spot, reports Sunday Aborisade.

he Senate, at a World News Conference last week announced a massive and comprehensive investigation into the alleged economic sabotage in the country’s oil and gas sector.

Unlike the practice in the past where such investigation panel are led by any Senator, the adhoc committee currently saddled with the responsibility this time around is being chaired by the Senate Leader, Senator OpeyemiBamidele.

The Opeyemi-led Senate Committee on the Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry, however had a very difficult challenge in convincing the media practitioners on the occasion that the outcome of its investigations would not end up in the dustbin of history like the ones before it.

Notwithstanding the doubts expressed by journalists, Bamidele insisted that the huge assignment before his panel was not insurmountable. He revealed plans by the panel to invite the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Port Authority, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Dangote Group and Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, among others, for questioning

The ad-hoc committee further disclosed that it would investigate billions of dollars that had been spent on turnaround maintenance of the state-owned refineries in the last decade with a view to addressing deep-rooted challenges facing the industry.

It also pledged to separately treat the ongoing rift between the management of Dangote Group and the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

Bamidele, during a question and answer session, said the panel was set up to probe all the crisis in the nation’s oil and gas sector, the rift between Dangote and NMDPRA would form part of its mandate.

He said, “The Committee was set up to look into the crisis in the oil and gas sector, the Dangote and NMDPRA rift automatically falls within our mandate. Our committee will look into it separately. When necessary, we will invite the two of them and try to find a lasting solution to the crisis between them.”

The Senate Leader noted that the news conference was organised to educate the public on the mandates, workings, and of course the modalities adopted by the adhoc committee, which the Senate constituted on July 3,  2024 to investigate allegations of economic sabotage in the country’s petroleum industry.

After its inauguration penultimate Monday, President of the Senate, Senator GodswillAkpabio, charged the 15-man ad-hoc committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations within three weeks.

Bamidele assured Nigerians that the panel would carry out a holistic investigation into the allegations of economic sabotage in Nigeria’s petroleum industry. He also pledged that the ad-hoc committee would carry out thorough investigation into diverse reasons the state-owned refineries have not been operational for years despite budget earmarked for turnaround maintenance.

Specifically, the Senate Leader noted that the contractors handling the turnaround maintenance for the refineries would be invited to let the committee into the situation of things.

Bamidele also added that the investigation would not be an armchair investigation, pointing out that members of the ad-hoc committee had already set machinery in motion to visit Lagos, Port Harcourt and Warri to engage key actors in the petroleum industry. His words, “It is pertinent to note that in the course of interactions with the identified stakeholders, the ad-hoc committee will visit any of their facilities that it deems necessary, especially the state-owned refineries, to ascertain their status, considering the funds already invested in the various turn around maintenances year without any meaningful result.

“The adhoc committee is particularly interested in understanding why local refineries are not working despite the substantial amounts of money spent annually on their maintenance and operations. We will closely examine what the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has been doing to address this persistent problem.”

He further revealed that the ad-hoc committee had identified some critical stakeholders to interact with in the course of discharging this noble assignment

Other stakeholders that would be summoned, according to him, are the  Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. Others include the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Navy, Obat Oil and Petroleum Limited, Matrix Energy Depot Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, International Oil Companies (IOCs), the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria and Capital Oil and Modular Refineries.

Bamidele added that the adhoccommittee, “will meet with stakeholders in their various zones to gather localised insights and feedback. To ensure broad participation and transparency, the ad-hoc committee will create a platform for the general public and stakeholders to submit memoranda before the public hearings.”

He categorically stated that part of mandate of the committee include “to uncover parties involved in the importation of adulterated fuel and diesel into the country.

“Our investigation seeks to identify and hold accountable all parties involved in the importation and distribution of the adulterated petroleum products. This includes suppliers, importers, regulatory bodies, and any other entities that may have contributed to this serious lapse in quality control.

“We will conduct a thorough review of current regulatory frameworks and procedures to identify deficiencies and recommend necessary reforms to prevent such occurrences in the future. The Committee is committed to ensuring the highest standards of fuel quality for the Nigerian market.”

Bamidele noted that the ad-hoc committee would beam legislative searchlight on the activities of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority including payments made to transporters in the last 10 years.

He noted that the ad-hoc committee would enquire from the NNPCL the state and status of the 22 depots built by the defunct NNPC to eliminate road distribution of petroleum products.

He, therefore, appealed to various stakeholders “to cooperate with the committee so that there can be lasting solution to problems in the oil sector. Our mandate is of strategic national interests.

“Each member of the committee is carefully selected based on his/her records of sterling performance. We are all men of integrity who will never pursue selfish interests at the expense of the national interests. The Senate did not constitute this committee to intimidate and witch-hunt any party. Rather, the committee was constituted for the purpose of ensuring social and economic justice in the light of grim realities we are facing as a federation. We are also taking this task seriously with a view to addressing fundamental issues that pose grave threats to our economic prosperity, fiscal stability and public health as a federation.

“In line with our mandate, we will definitely unravel the roots of economic sabotage in Nigeria’s petroleum industry and make necessary recommendations that will entrench global best practices in the industry and open it up for more investments, especially in the midstream and downstream sectors. We are utterly committed to this mandate. We shall also carry out this national assignment without fear or favour. We shall be fair and just to all parties with a view to promoting and protecting the strategic national interests of our fatherland.”

Bamidele and his colleagues have vowed to issue warrant of arrest against anyone or head of agency who shun the panel’s summon no matter, how highly placed.

He said, “Our laws give us power. It’s for us to choose either to use such power to order arrests and compel attendance at our proceedings or for us to choose not to use the power. We will do what we have to do in a variety of public interests.

“Those who were invited before and did not come, it wasn’t for lack of the authority to compel them. Those who invited them would be the one to explain why they chose not to compel attendance. So we want to assure Nigerians that we don’t entertain any fear of anyone turning down our invitation. At the same time, too.

“On behalf of the committee, let me also assure you that it is not our intention to grandstand. This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We will do what is consistent with global best practice expectation and standard. Where we need to hold closed-door sessions, we will do that.

“Where we need to open our sessions to public viewing, we will do that. So be rest assured that we’ll do what we consider to be in overriding public interest. Will the committee have the courage to name violators at the end of the day, even if they are senators? As far as we are concerned, as you have been told, we are a subcommittee of the committee of the whole and our report is going to the Senate if and where we find it necessary. We have been told that we will do this without fear or favour.

“We are all servants of the same master, the master being the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Issues of conflict between Dangote group and regulators were also raised in one of the questions that you raised.

“Well, these are issues within the industry. Our mandate is to investigate the entire industry if it becomes necessary and that’s what we’re going to do. So the ongoing accusations and counter-acquisitions are among the issues that we have been mandated to look into and we will do that.”

Bamidele said to a very reasonable extent the adhoc committee had addressed the  concerns raised by journalists and that what was left is just for him to assure that by the grace of God they would do their best.

“Remember the saying that our past was only a story told, our future can yet be written in gold,” the Senate Leader concluded.

Other members of the ad-hoc committee include Senators Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), OsitaIzunazo (Imo West), late Senator IfeanyiUbah (Anambra South), DiketPlang (Plateau Central), TahirMonguno (Borno North) and Abdullah Yahaha (Kebbi North).