The House of Representatives has issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Managing Director/CEO of Agip Petroleum PLC (now Oando PLC), Wale Tinubu and the management team of Aiteo, led by Victor Okoronkwo to appear before the parliament over the perennial issue of oil spillage in some oil-producing communities.
The Chairman, joint House Committee on Environment and Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum (Downstream), Hon. Julius Pondi issued the ultimatum at the investigative hearing on the environmental impact of transporting crude oil by mega seagoing vessels from Nembe Creek Trunk to offshore crude oil storage in the Atlantic Ocean by Aiteo E&P.
Pondi who expressed displeasure over the failure of Oando to appear before the committee, said letters of invitation were sent to him; yet, he refused to honour the invitation.
“We sent letters to Agip now Oando, up to four times. They requested for two weeks, and the two weeks is today (Tuesday). We wrote to Aiteo too, but they never made any contact with the committee till today. It is important that they are compelled to appear and they must appear before the Parliament before the joint committee.
“We have invited the Managing Directors of both Aiteo E & P Company and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (now Oando Oil Ltd) to this hearing, to provide us with detailed explanations regarding their activities, particularly in their areas of operations. We expect full cooperation and transparency from all stakeholders in this process.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the operations of oil companies in our country are carried out in a manner that is sustainable, environmentally responsible, and respectful of the rights and welfare of the communities they operate in and the country at large.
“It is also noteworthy, to emphasise that the Committees are not here to vilify any corporate entity but to ensure accountability, transparency, and adherence to environmental laws and regulations that govern the oil sector in our country. We aim to find solutions, hold the responsible parties accountable where necessary, and recommend the appropriate remedial actions,” he said.
The lawmaker therefore, directed the Clerk to the panel to write a strongly-worded letter to the Oando CEO and Aiteo to appear within seven days before the Joint Committee.
In her comments, a Director from the Federal Ministry of Environment, Rofikat Odetoro bemoaned the impacts of oil spills in oil-producing communities, adding that the issue has resulted in the spread of deadly diseases such as diabetes as well as heart and liver-related ailments.
She urged the National Assembly to review existing law with a view to compel all the regulatory agencies to work harmoniously in the promotion of national interest above selfish gains.
Also speaking, a Director at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Ibrahim Yahaya, said the commission granted the first permit of six months to Aiteo to badge to avoid loss of about 90 per cent of the 50,000 barrels per day oil production, however affirmed, that two years permit was given to Aiteo to badge considering the importance of oil production to the country.
In his opening remarks, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen expressed the commitment of the House to taking legislative actions such as the investigative hearings to safeguard the people’s welfare.
Represented by Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Bello Kumo, the Speaker assured that the parliament will ensure the environment, which serves as a major source of the people’s livelihood was protected.
