‘Sheath Your Swords, We’ll Sort Things Out’, Reps Tell Dangote, NMDPRA

The House of Representatives has resolved to stop the hostility between Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), evident by allegations and counter-claims involving the two entities.

The House Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream and Midstream) chaired by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere and Hon. Henry Okogie, disclosed this after an emergency meeting of the committee, convened, following what they described as “growing tension” capable of undermining the fragile stability recently achieved in the sector with concerns being expressed by different stakeholders.

The joint panel invited the warring parties to appear before it for mediation and asked them to cease all media hostilities pending the outcome of the committee’s investigation coming up in a few days.

The joint committee said it was compelled to act swiftly to prevent further escalation, especially at a time when government and industry stakeholders were working to stabilise supply, pricing and regulation in the post-fuel subsidy era.

“The key issue that necessitated this emergency meeting was the growing tension that has returned to the downstream sector as a result of concerns and allegations raised by Alhaji Aliko Dangote against the NMDPRA,” Ugochinyere said.

He added: “This is coming at a time when the committee is jealously guarding the stability that has been achieved in the sector.”

The House committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) chairman said the lawmakers resolved to formally invite both the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and the leadership of the NMDPRA to appear before it and provide detailed explanations on the issues fueling the dispute in order to find a way out of the disturbing situation.

The lawmaker explained that only a clear understanding of the underlying problems would enable the National Assembly to broker lasting solutions without fear or favour.

“We can only find sustainable solutions when we identify the critical issues leading to this tension. That is why the committee resolved to write to Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the NMDPRA chief to meet with us and give insights into what is driving these allegations and counter-allegations.

“We resolved to plead with the contending parties to cease fire, especially media comments, so that the situation does not escalate further. The committee has the capacity to wade into this matter and find solutions once and for all,”
Ugochinyere noted.

He revealed that the committee has already received petitions touching on critical industry concerns, including the issuance of import licences and questions around whether domestic refineries have the capacity to meet Nigeria’s daily petroleum needs.

“These are serious issues. Some relate to import licences, others to whether local refineries can produce enough to satisfy national demand which the investigation been undertaken by the committee will resolve,” he said.

Ugochinyere stressed that all outstanding matters would be thoroughly examined when key stakeholders in the refining and regulatory space appear before the committee.

“By the time Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the NMDPRA and other stakeholders meet with the committee, we will get the real gist of what is happening and come up with resolutions that provide sustainable solutions for the sector,” he assured.

Reiterating the committee’s appeal, the chairman urged all parties to suspend further accusations while the House works to resolve the dispute in the national interest.

“We are pleading with them to cease further attacks on each other, whether from the regulatory agency or the refining community,while the committee sorts out these issues,” he said.

Ugochinyere said the decisions announced reflected the unanimous outcome of the committee’s closed-door deliberations, a position he said was affirmed by his colleagues.