THE House of Representatives on Tuesday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Managing Director/CEO of Agip Petroleum Plc (now Oando Plc), Mr Wale Tinubu and the management team of Aiteo over perennial oil spillage in some oil-producing communities across the country.
The Chairman, Committee on Environment, Julius Pondi, issued the ultimatum during 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.
The committee is also investigating alleged oil spillage at the Olugboboro Community in the Southern Ijaw region, from the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (Now Oando Oil Ltd) facility.
The investigation hearing was jointly organised by the Committees on Environment, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), and Petroleum Resources (Midstream).
Pondi, who expressed worry over the failure of Oando to appear before the committee, noted that letters of invitation were sent to Tinubu; yet, he failed 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,” he said.
Consequently, Pondi who represents Burutu Federal Constituency, Delta State, mandated 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.
Members of the committee took turns to lament the negative impact left on oil-producing communities, stressing that people’s means of livelihood are being threatened and destroyed, owing to the failure of regulatory agencies to do their job.
“Today’s gathering is a formal inquiry and a platform to address serious concerns affecting our constituents and the environment. The issues at hand pertain to the operations of Aiteo E & P Company and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (now Oando Oil Ltd). These companies’ activities allegedly portend grave environmental consequences in their host communities and, by extension, the nation as a whole.
“As we are all aware, the oil industry plays a critical role in the economic development of our country. It also contributes significantly to our national income, provides employment, and supports infrastructure development in various regions. However, this contribution should not come at the cost of the health, well-being, and livelihood of the people in our host communities, or the expense of the environment.
“In light of the above, 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. We will also be hearing from environmental experts, and relevant government agencies, to have a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
“Let me reiterate that this hearing is a critical step in addressing the issues. 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,” he said.
He, however, noted that the committee was not out to witch hunt anyone.
“It is also noteworthy, to emphasise that the committee is 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 added.
The lawmakers also identified what they called administrative lapses in the Ministry of Petroleum’s operations in the handling of the operations of oil production companies.
Speaking at the event, a Director from the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Rofikat Odetoro, decried the impacts of oil spills in oil-producing communities, noting that the development has resulted in the spread of deadly diseases including diabetes as well as heart and liver-related ailments.
Odetoro also expressed worry over the decision to issue a two-year permit to Aiteo despite the scourge of oil spillage in its area of operations.
While responding to a question on whether the ministry extended an invitation to NUPRC during its operations, Odetoro said, “No! That is what I said, that here, all of us are working in silos but going forward, we need to walk together.”
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.
The delegation from the ministry including the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency NESREA and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency also emphasised the significance of government agencies working together for the good of the country.
A director at the NUPRC, Mr Ibrahim Yahaya, while responding to inquiries from the lawmakers stated that 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.
According to him, any attempt to ask Aiteo to shut down will have huge cost implications on the nation’s oil production target.
Majority Whip of the House, Bello Kumo, who represented Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, pledged the readiness of the parliament to take legislative actions including investigative hearings to safeguard the people’s welfare “by ensuring that our environment which serves as a major source of the people’s livelihood is protected.”