Nation
PIB’ll Address Production Sharing Contracts Issues On Gas, FG Confirms
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, says the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly will resolve the issues under the Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) on gas.
Sylva made this known at a National Assembly Public Hearing organised by the Joint Committee on Gas Resources, Petroleum Resources, Upstream and Downstream, in Abuja.
The hearing was on the topic: “Inclusion of Gas Terms in Production Sharing Contracts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).”
He said that issues on gas terms were not captured under the PSC, especially with the commercial aspect.
“Issues on gas terms were not captured in the PSC because at the time, the offshore was just a frontier territory, today, it is no longer frontier, it is a proven territory.
“There have been a lot of discussions on how we can change the terms, I believe that most of these issues will be addressed in the PIB, especially the issues around gas terms which we all believe were not properly captured in the document.
“Already, the NNPC is engaging in a lot of discussions around the PSC, most of them are commercial discussion and they are bringing good progress.
“But of course, knowing that the PIB is in sight, and the National Assembly invited us for this, we felt that we are making progress and I believe that the PIB will be able to resolve some of the issues that will come up in the discussion,’’ Sylva said.
He noted that part of the reason gas was not captured in the PSC was because it was not the focus in the exploration activities at the time.
According to him, the new push for gas is what is needed for economic development in the country.
Sylva said that government had in December 2020 rolled out auto gas initiative and would soon inaugurate tax force that would ensure full implementation to make Nigerians use gas in their cars.
“In terms of domestic household usage, we are also pushing for penetration, especially in the rural areas. The general idea is to make sure that gas is pushed to the fore in Nigeria,” he said.
Sylva urged the National Assembly to live up to its promise of the passage of the PIB in April to help the growth of the oil and gas sector and the country at large.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, said that in November 2019, the House resolved to take necessary action to achieve focused utilisation of abundant natural gas resources.
“To that end, the House appointed a joint committee made up of the committees on Gas Resources, Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Petroleum Resources (Upstream) to engage with stakeholders, review statutes and make recommendations to the House of Representatives, and to the Federal Government.
“The Public Hearing we have gathered for today is an important part of the joint committee’s assignment.
“It is also an opportunity for stakeholders across the oil and gas sector and the country, to present information, and contribute ideas that will help the joint committee arrive at the proper conclusions and propose effective solutions.
“This Public Hearing ought to have happened and the joint committee’s assignment should have been completed long before now. However, we had to adjust plans and make modifications to accommodate the new realities imposed due to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic,’’ he said.
The minister said that Nigeria’s natural gas resources had existed almost as an afterthought both as a matter of policy making and as a focus of investment and exploration.
“Given the potential of natural gas for industrialisation, job creation and revenue generation for government, this is a significant error that ought to be corrected with all urgency,” he added.
Also, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, said that the 1993 PSC was designed around award of crude oil that was why the framework for gas was weak.
Kyari said that adequate proposal had been made in the current PIB to capture all that was necessary in gas terms.
He said that the non associated gas in the country needed fiscal response than the associated gas.
According to him, good fiscal environment and pricing framework are the two things needed to ensure that the PSC will work.
In his remarks Lead Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Nicholas Mutu, said that the committee would focus on ensuring that Nigerians benefit from huge deposit of gas.
Mutu said that the review of contract terms to accommodate cost was necessary to ensure gas was utilised for economic development.
A non- governmental organisation under the aegis of South South Media Association has presented an award to the Divisional Police Officer, Omoku ,CSP John Ladan.
The event which held recently in Omoku in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, saw the attendance of top ranking officers and well wishers who gathered to celebrate an icon.
Presenting the award, the Chairman of the group, Kio Hopeson, said following the DPO’s selfless service to humanity, peace and development of the society, the group found him worthy to receive the award.
Hopeson hinted that the award had long been overdue, as his posting to Omoku had brought about peace, social harmony and drastic reduction of crime, saying, his open door policy and ensuring that every stakeholder is carried along in the fight against crime, was a contributing factor.
He said their investigation revealed that the people were extremely pleased with the reduction of crime under his watch in the area, stressing that his effort to interface with everyone has boosted the cooperation between the police and the residents.
On his part, the recipient, CSP John Ladan thanked the group for the honour done him.
The DPO expressed his gratitude to God and the Commissioner of Police for the support given him to serve.
He urged the people to see the police as friends as their job is protection of lives and property.
As part of efforts towards enrolment into the National Health Fellows programm of the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government in partnership with the World Health Organisation, (WHO) and other development partners has started the process of interviews for the selection of health professionals to be enrolled into the programme.
The National Health Fellows Programme is an interventionist initiative by the Federal and State Governments following the declaration of a state-of-emergency on the health sector by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
The initiative is aimed at reducing the physical and financial burdens on health-seeking Nigerians.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Acting Director, Research and Planning, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Juliane Nwoke, who spoke on behalf of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh said the programme is expected to enrol 774 persons representing each of the local government areas in the country.
In Rivers State, she said 23 persons are expected to emerge from the 69 shortlisted candidates, adding that already, nine persons have been interviewed, adding that the successful candidates would be engaged by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support the provision of healthcare services especially public health at both local, state and national levels.
She explained that core areas of competencies of shortlisted candidates includes public health, proficiency in Information and Communication Technology and data management.
“We have interviewed already, about nine candidates and by the end of today, we’ll be interviewing about 29 candidates.
“The interviews will end officially today for Rivers State because we are expected to interview 69 candidates.
“Specific competencies were considered in the selection process with interest on competencies in public health, ICT and data management, so we received the shortlist of candidates which we expect are based on these competencies.
“As you may know, there is a global and local shortage of manpower, so the 23 who qualifies in this round will add to the skilled manpower that is needed to drive healthcare delivery.
“As per impact, this fellows would be engaged directly by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support healthcare delivery and population health management at the local government, state and perhaps national levels, working directly from their LGAs,” she stated.
Dr. Nwoke assured shortlisted candidates of fairness in the screening process, maintaining that only the best will emerge at the end of the exercise.
John Bibor
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has described as unacceptable, callous, wicked and cruel the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court last Friday, concerning Rivers State political crisis, saying they are nothing to write home about.
This is even as the union has said Nigeria is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is not upheld but thrown overboard.
The union equally took to the cleaners the Justices, who gave the judgments and pronouncements, for allegedly mortgaging their consciences, and urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara not to obey the judgments until such a time that the case bordering on the defection of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, pending at the Court of Appeal is dispensed with.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who canvassed this position in an interview in Port Harcourt, particularly described the judgment ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation not to release the Federal Allocations of Rivers State as not only callous and wicked but cruel and self-serving.
He said civil servants in the State in particular reject the judgements and pronouncements of the apex court in their totality, and enjoined them to rise up against all plots and machinations to unseat the Governor, as a demonstration of their love, support and solidarity for him, contending that folding their arms and watching the plots to succeed, would amount to giving the enemies of the State a free rein to overrun the State.
He said the workers firmly believe that those fighting Governor Fubara, are not only fighting him but the people of the State, and enjoined them to rally round the Governor, who he noted has put smiles on their faces within the short period he has been in office.
Osumah noted that the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements are an attempt by enemies of the State to pull the hands of the clock backwards, considering the monumental achievements of the Fubara administration so far.
He said it is unfortunate that the Justices who handed down the judgments and pronouncements, have through their actions and inaction, desecrated the sacred temple of justice, and by so doing making the judiciary a laughing stock in the eyes of the world, instead of elevating it in such a way that it becomes the much-acclaimed last hope of the masses and the common people in the country.
He decried a situation where the country’s judiciary has rather degenerated to a level where the highest bidders have held it hostage, at the expense of the ordinary people, saying it is a strong indication that the country is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is bastardised and thrown overboard.
According to him, the judgements and pronouncements portend grave danger for the State and the people, as they are a recipe for chaos, confusion and unabated crises.
Osumah further lamented a situation where the case bordering on the defection of the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers is relegated to the background while other contending issues are given undue preference and preeminence, saying the defection case is rather the kernel and pivot on which every other matters concerning the political crisis in the State gravitate.
The labour leader, therefore, stressed the need for the execution of the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements to wait, pending the final determination of the defection suit, describing as hasty and preposterous the issuance of a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Fubara by the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, to present before them the 2025 Budget of the State.
Osumah equally reminded civil servants in the State that the time has come for them to boldly rise up and defend one of their own, and never allow the shenanigans of the old order to overwhelm and subject them once more to the throes and pangs of penury, poverty and needless suffering and hardship.
He recalled with glee that Governor Fubara has wiped away their tears, by not only providing a conducive environment for them to operate but also making sure that their welfare needs are given top priority, thereby restoring and providing all that the enemies of the State had denied them in the past.
While reiterating that the entire workforce in the State vehemently reject the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court, Osumah said the apex court has through such judgements and pronouncements, declared war against the State and her people.