Senate Committee Summons Commission Over Host Communities’ Concerns

The Senate Committee on Host Communities, Oil and Gas has summoned the management of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to appear before it.

An interactive session scheduled with the commission on Thursday was, however, stalled following the resignation of its chief executive officer.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu recently nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the new chief executive officer of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The nominations followed the resignations of Farouk Ahmed as CEO of NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe as CEO of NUPRC.

Briefing newsmen after a meeting with a team from NUPRC, Chairman of the committee, Senator Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East), expressed concern over the prolonged suffering of host communities in oil-producing areas.

He said these communities have endured years of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration and exploitation.

According to Agadaga, many old oil wells have dried up, leaving affected communities without hope or sustainable means of livelihood.

“Unfortunately, the chief executive has resigned, so we are trying to screen a new person to come in. What we want to ensure is that whoever is coming must be on his toes to give Nigerians, especially in oil-producing areas, what they deserve,” he said.

The Senator, who hails from Oloibiri, where oil was first discovered in Nigeria, lamented the state of neglect in the area following the exit of oil companies.

“I come from Oloibiri Oilfield. Shell has left that place devastated. Nothing was done to remember their operations there. The people are worse off than before oil was discovered. There is nothing to show for their presence,” Agadaga stated.

He noted that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was enacted to address such challenges, stressing that its success depends mainly on proper implementation.

“A lot of operators are failing in their responsibilities. NUPRC, as the regulatory body, should prompt them to take action. Where they fail, we will exercise our oversight function,” he said.

Agadaga disclosed that the committee had published the names of operators who have failed to comply with host community obligations, warning that non-compliant operators risk having their operating licenses withdrawn in line with existing regulations.

“We are trying to make them sit up. We have been doing a lot of talking without working,” he concluded.