Reps panel threatens NNPC, IOCs, others with sanctions

By Disun Amosun

Worried stiff by the uncaring attitude of major oil operators over environmental degradation in their host communities, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Abbas Tajudeen has warned that the government would no longer tolerate such impunity and urged relevant Committees to stand up for the rights of Nigerians affected by the development.

This has led to the stern summoning of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari and others of the International Oil Companies, IOCs by a joint Committee of the House of Representatives to appear on May 8, 2024 over a probe on environmental degradation caused by the activities of oil companies in oil producing communities in the country.

The Speaker had in his opening remarks at the resumed probe occasioned by incessant and widespread probe on the matter by a joint Committee of the House said it was important for the environment to be protected against degradation caused by oil drilling activities and called on the House, as a caring institution to remain at the vanguard of affected host communities.

The summon was handed down by the Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Rep. Pondi Julius Gbabojor, at an investigative hearing on the need to investigate the service and unprecedented environmental damage within the communities on Wednesday.

Also to appear before the joint committee is the Chief Executives of some oil companies and relevant government agencies.

The House joint Committee includes Environment, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Climate Change.

Gbabojor said the matter to be addressed was critical as he threatened appropriate sanctions if those invited failed to turn up by the allotted deadline date of 8th May, “as the Committee would no longer like deliberate drawback of the probe.”

Besides the NNPCL, oil companies summoned include Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Total Energies, Oando Oil Limited, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited Seplat Energy among others.

Also government agencies summoned include Nigeria Midstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency, National Environmental Standards Regulations and Enforcement Agency.

With the commencement of the probe on Wednesday, only four out of 35 oil companies and agencies invited showed up, with The National Environmental Standards Regulations and Enforcement Agency sending official excuses through a representative, while the rest did not give any reason for their absence.

The Committee members however complained that even the four that turned up submitted the relevant documents just the previous day, not giving the lawmakers enough time to study it for the probe.

Committee members decried the attitude of the oil companies and agencies saying it impeded efforts aimed at moving the country up the nudge in achieving international best practices in environmental protection in oil producing areas of the country.

Gbabojor said, “We will do another letter to everybody. They should turn up to answer questions on issues pertaining to degradation of the environment due to the activities of oil companies.”

“They have to be here on the 8th of May. If anybody fails to show up, then we would decide as a Committee on what to do. I want to believe that there was enough time, two letters were sent, and there was ample time for them to see the letters and duly honour them. But for putting on a human face, we would still give another time to do so,” he said.