Reps Move To Resolve Dangote, NUPENG Face-off

The House of Representatives Committee connected Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has pledged to wade into the lingering face-off betwixt the Dangote Group and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) with a presumption to ensuring stableness successful the assemblage and fairness to each stakeholders.

The solution followed the extremity of a three-day retreat successful Lagos wherever lawmakers, manufacture players and regulators deliberated connected pressing issues facing Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, told reporters that the sheet would not let disputes betwixt large investors and unions to derail operations oregon undermine the quest for vigor security.

Ugochinyere said the committee was determined to mediate and bring some parties to the array earlier the substance escalates further.

“Our precedence is to present existent reforms that warrant efficiency, fairness and competitiveness crossed the board. We are going to measurement successful to guarantee that nary stakeholder feels sidelined oregon shortchanged.”

The retreat besides reviewed ongoing challenges facing section refineries, peculiarly their difficulties successful securing reliable crude supply.

Lawmakers called for greater transparency successful the allocation and pricing of crude lipid to guarantee that some state-owned and modular refineries tin run sustainably.

On the lingering contention surrounding the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) acquisition of OVH Energy’s downstream assets, Ugochinyere confirmed that the committee’s reinvestigation was already astatine an precocious stage, stressing that the caller probe was chiseled from the earlier inquiry, which was rejected connected the level of the House.

Ugochinyere explained that portion immoderate stakeholders had failed to taxable captious documents, the committee had resolved to determination guardant regardless, noting that the House mandate indispensable beryllium carried retired successful full.

Members of the public, helium said, were escaped to marque submissions to the Clerk of the committee earlier presenting recommendations.

During the retreat, the committee commended the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Dangote Refinery, modular refinery operators and different cardinal players for their efforts and concern successful gathering a viable downstream sector.

Lawmakers besides welcomed the NNPCL’s renewed thrust to revamp operations, particularly astatine the Port Harcourt Refinery.

Sub-committee reports are expected successful the coming weeks and volition signifier the ground for legislative enactment connected crude supply, refinery upgrades and regulatory oversight.

Analysts said the retreat and consequent investigations could acceptable the signifier for a much transparent and competitory downstream landscape, portion besides easing tensions betwixt labour and private operators.