The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to grant licenses to companies that are capable of operating refineries in the country.
Lawmakers said the policy will help curb illegal refinery activities that are causing the ongoing black soot experienced in Rivers State.
This resolution was taken by the House, after a motion of urgent public importance presented by Uyime Idem (PDP, Akwa-Ibom) on Tuesday during the plenary.
Soot in the rivers
In recent years, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, and the surrounding area have been experiencing black soot.
In his New Year’s address to state residents, Governor Nyesom Wike said that illegal refineries are responsible for the soot.
He also alleged that security agencies are colluding with the illegal refineries.
As part of measures to curb illegal refinery activities, the Governor directed all local government presidents to work with community leaders to locate and identify those behind all illegal fueling and refining sites. of crude oil.
Last week, Mr Wike accused the anti-hooliganism unit of the Nigeria Civil Defense and Security Corps (NSCDC) to aid and abet illegal refiners.
Following the indictment, NSCDC Commander General Ahmed Audi announced the unit’s immediate disbandment.
The governor had claimed in 2018 that the soot was caused by the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies.
“We created a technical committee to investigate the problem of black soot. The committee report indicated that the black soot was largely a product of the destruction of illegal refineries by security agencies,” he said at the time.
uyime movement
Uyime, in his motion, said that the activities of the illegal refineries are causing negative impacts on the economy and the health of the residents of the state.
“Illegal activities have sabotaged the economic activities of area residents, caused serious health risks to citizens, robbed the country of critical revenue, and aggravated the pollution problem in the region.
“Some security agencies and some influential people have been accused of complicity in the activities of these illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region of the country,” the lawmaker said.
Speaking in support of the motion, Luke Onofiok (PDP, Akwa-Ibom) said that the government must provide people with alternatives.
Accordingly, he proposed an amendment to the motion that the Department of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation should support the development of licences.
“Without justifying illegal refining, if you don’t see what to do, you will do what you see. My amendment is that we should insert a sentence to get the NNPC, the Department of Petroleum Resources and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to license modular refineries and then encourage these companies as well.
“If NNPC can vote over N600 billion for road construction, there is nothing wrong with NNPC supporting the establishment of modular refineries, so that people who engage in these activities can be curbed,” he said.
However, the Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, raised a point of order that under the Petroleum Industry Bill, the DPR ceased to exist, while the NNPC is now a limited liability company.
According to Mr. Monguno, Mr. Luke’s amendment was invalid and an exercise in futility because nothing can be built on nothing.
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“The amendment proposed by Hon Luke is nullified and exercised in vain. Because according to the PIA, DPR no longer exists, while NNPC is now a limited liability company and has no power to do what it is being asked to do,” he stated.
Isiaka Ibrahim (APC, Ogun) also tabled an amendment to review existing modular refineries.
According to Mr. Ibrahim, there are currently 52 modular licenses and some of the licenses have not been used.
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After a lengthy debate on the motion, the House, however, resolved as follows:
-Force Police Inspector General Akali Usman and other relevant security agencies to immediately clamp down on the activities of these illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region of the country and prosecute the culprits.
-Forcing the Federal Ministries of Petroleum Resources and Environment to urgently develop and implement modalities to remove the soot currently being experienced in Rivers State and other parts of the Niger Delta region.
-Order the Police, Navy, Army, Defense and Home Affairs Committees of the House of Representatives to investigate the alleged involvement of security agencies in illegal oil refining in the Niger Delta region of the country.
The Host Communities and Petroleum Resources (Downstream) committees were commissioned to ensure compliance with the resolutions.