Reps threaten clampdown on firms over gas flaring
The House of Representatives has asked the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency to provide it with ‘specified information’ on companies involved in gas flaring, including the amount flared and penalty cost in the last decade.
The House said NOSDRA should include both local and international oil companies, so that outstanding debts would be fully recovered.
Also, the House urged key and relevant government agencies in the petroleum sector under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NOSDRA under the Ministry of Environment, and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission under the Ministry of Power to “avoid working in silos and strengthen synergy to produce a practical and unified multi-level governance and policy coherence analysis that will stem gas flaring, protect the environment and boost energy supply.”
These resolutions were sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by a member of the House, Ahmed Munir, titled ‘Need to address the lingering issue of gas flaring by oil and gas companies’.
Munir noted that Nigeria was blessed with vast oil and natural gas resources but due to inadequate management of resources, most of the natural gas was flared.
The lawmaker cited a NOSDRA which stated that in 2022, Nigeria flared 216.5 billion standard cubic feet of gas in about 11 months despite its commitment in November 2021 to reach net zero by 2060.
He quoted the report to have stated that 12 million tonnes of CO2 were emitted into the atmosphere, thus contributing to global warming, while useful natural gas valued at $0.79bn was burned by the Nigerian oil and gas industry equivalent to the value of $450m, many of which were said not to be collected.
Munir said, “The House is concerned that in 2022, 22,500 gigawatts hours of potential power generation went to waste, equivalent to the annual electricity use of 511 million Nigerian citizens.
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EFCC summons Sirika, quizzes Nigeria Air officials
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has summoned the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, to appear before the commission regarding the controversial launch of Nigerian Air in Abuja recently.
The anti-graft agency has reportedly also questioned officials of Nigerian Air, whose launch has continued to generate concerns among industry stakeholders.
The controversy surrounding the Nigerian Air launch intensified after reports indicated that an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft, painted in Nigerian Air livery, was used for the inauguration.
Stakeholders expressed their dissatisfaction, arguing that a national carrier should not rely on a foreign airline for its launch.
Responding to the allegations, Sirika said the use of the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft was a “marketing strategy.”
Meanwhile, findings have shown that Sirika has yet to honour the anti-graft agency’s invitation.
It was gathered that some officials of the controversial national carrier, including the Acting Managing Director, Captain Dapo Olumide, had been invited for questioning.
An official close to the development said, “The former aviation minister, Sirika has been invited by the commission over an ongoing investigation which includes the Nigeria Air project.
“Although Sirika is yet to honour the commission’s invite, some other officials of Nigeria Air have been questioned, and the acting MD was invited for questioning too,” a source revealed.
“Sirika wasn’t the only person that was invited, other officials were invited too, and some of them have been interrogated and their statements taken by the commission but Sirika is yet to appear for questioning.”
Confirming the development following an inquiry by our correspondent, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said Sirika had been invited by the anti-graft agency over an ongoing investigation.
He, however, said he could not confirm whether the ex-minister had honoured the invitation or not.
Uwujaren said, “I can confirm that the commission has invited former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika over an ongoing investigation.
“But I’m not sure and I can’t confirm whether or not he has honoured the invite. Concerning other officials being questioned, I can’t confirm that too, but an investigation is ongoing.”
