Oil & Energy

Government Without Opposition (1)

Published

12 years ago

September 26, 2012

Good Governance and effective leadership thrives in the
midst of effective opposition. Without effective opposition, governance is
prone to dictatorship. Governance and leadership in such situation become
ineffective and would lose legitimacy or authority to function effectively.

The late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his books, “Voice of
Wisdom and Path to Nigerian Greatness,” noted that the evils of foreign rule
may be far less than the evils which may be perpetrated under self-governance
by the affluent natives or the local moguls who, if left to their own devices,
may constitute themselves into class oligarchy and secure the supreme power for
themselves in the form of tyranny and arbitrary dictatorship.

He stated further that native tyranny and oppression will
become more pronounced when a cabal or group of feudal lords seize political
power and refuse to hand over to others outside his own hierarchy.

For Chief Awolowo,
the inability of a regime, civilian or military, to extricate itself from the
‘sweet uses and chuckles’ of power breeds tenacity of office. He defined this
as a ‘political monstrosity whose characteristics are inordinate and shameless
love of power for its own sake…’

Chief Awolowo must be turning in his grave now because of
the political situation in the country.

My concern is that absence of a virile opposition has
reduced governance to dictatorship. My aim therefore, is to suggest ways
through which political opposition in the country may be more effective.

To arrive at these suggestions however, I took into
consideration some fundamental principles of politics supported with examples
from the Nigerian situation.

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary,
politics is defined as “the activities involved in getting and using power in
public life, and being able to influence decisions that affect a country or a
society”.

Dr. Mabawonku, a
development policy analyst in his book, “Rethinking Political opposition for
Greater Effectiveness,” examines three fundamental principles of politics,
which in his opinion, explains some of the problems of effective political
opposition in the country.

First, he posits that power is the essence of politics just
as money is the essence of business. Secondly, he noted that while every
political position has attached to it some political powers, the effectiveness
of the power depend’s on the influence of the politician; and lastly he says,
political power and influence are never given, they are taken.

Mabawonku said although
these principles may not be generally acceptable, the continued success
of the patronage system of politics in the country may be explained partially
by these three principles.

I cannot argue less with this school of thought. Biblically,
without Satan mobilising cross section of angels to oppose the leadership of
God, there would never have been the need for God to exercise His authority to
create the earth and place man to take charge, lead over Satan and all that
oppose the rule of God. So, opposition is necessary for governance and
leadership to be effective.

For partisan politics
and opposition to be effective and beneficial to the electorates, government
should allow and create enabling environment for virile opposition. For opposition to be effective, it must be virile
and responsive not necessarily to demonise Government activities, but to
present alternate policy direction to government. If opposition parties cannot
show in real term what they have done in the past to lead and identify with the
needs of electorates yearning for change, they cannot serve as better
alternative.

There is need to have a critical rethink of the political
system in Nigeria, particularly the system and style of opposition. Perhaps,
the most important fact to consider in this respect is that we now have a
democratic system of governance as against military dictatorship. Unlike during
military rule when there were very few institutionalised means of opposing the
government in power, there are a wide range of opportunities for constructive
political opposition in the new democratic system of government.

First, the opposing political groups have the opportunity to
contest any election through registered political parties. Secondly, there are
opportunities for the opposition groups to lobby for specific legislations and
policies either by lobbying the legislators or through systematic public
outreach activities. Lastly, there are opportunities for political opposition
groups to take legal actions against the ruling party or the government.
Therefore, for a more effective political opposition in the country, the
following may be taken into consideration.

As postulated by Dr Mabawonku, power is the essence of
politics just as money is the essence of business. Unless a politician has
power, he can not have much influence in public life. Many of the existing
political parties in the country do not seem to have any real interest in power
and as such they cannot provide effective opposition to the ruling political
party in the country.

It is reasonable to expect that if the Alliance for
Democracy had contested the presidential elections in April 2003, the outcome
of the elections would have produced a totally different result and the
political situation in the country would have been more competitive.

Again, considering the large financial resources and
experience of the present ruling class, it is very unlikely that the opposition
group can oppose the political entrepreneurs effectively in their own game.
Therefore, there is need for the opposition groups to shift the focus of
political debates away from sentiments to address concrete development issues
and problems as well as processes.

It is particularly quite unfortunate that only one or two of
fifty nine political parties in the country are making systematic efforts to
challenge some of the unpopular policies of the present government.

Dr Akpogena, a Christian devotional consultant, writes from
Port Harcourt.

Lewis Akpogena

Oil & Energy

Bill Prohibiting Gas Flaring Passes 2nd Reading

Published

1 month ago

December 9, 2024

The Tide

The Bill for an act to prohibit gas flaring, encourage commodity utilisation, and provide for penalties and remedies for gas flaring violations has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.
Sponsored by the Member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency (APC, Lagos), Babajimi Adegoke Benson, the bill seeks to prohibit the flaring and venting of natural gas, except in strictly regulated circumstances, while encouraging the utilisation of gas resources to foster economic growth and energy generation.
The proposed legislation aims to mitigate the environmental, health, and economic impacts of gas flaring, aligning Nigeria’s oil and gas operations with international climate change commitments.
Offenders, who violate the provisions of the proposed law, would face stringent penalties, including fines of $5 per 1,000 standard cubic feet of gas flared and potential suspension of operations for repeat violations.
Leading debate on the general principles of the bill, Benson said gas flaring has plagued Nigeria for decades, resulting to severe environmental degradation, public health crises, and economic losses while it environmentally, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, and acid rain, exacerbating climate challenges.
The lawmaker said public health impacts of the practice are equally dire, as pollutants from gas flaring cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly among residents of communities close to flaring sites.
According to him, economically, flaring results in the waste of a valuable resource that could otherwise be harnessed for energy generation or exported to generate revenue.
Benson insisted that the bill was designed to address those issues while bringing Nigeria in line with global standards such as the Paris Agreement on climate change.
“The bill provides for a comprehensive prohibition of gas flaring except in emergencies or when explicitly authorised by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
“Operators are required to submit and implement Gas Utilisation Plans, detailing how gas that would otherwise be flared will be captured, processed, or commercialised.
“Offenders, who violate these provisions, face stringent penalties, including fines of $5 per 1,000 standard cubic feet of gas flared and potential suspension of operations for repeat violations. Furthermore, the Bill ensures that communities affected by gas flaring are entitled to compensation and environmental restoration, creating a mechanism for redress.
“Transparency and accountability are integral to the enforcement framework of this Bill. Operators must submit regular reports on gas flaring incidents, which will be audited and made publicly available by the NUPRC. This approach ensures public oversight and stakeholder engagement, fostering trust and compliance.
“Nigeria’s adoption of this Bill positions the country to emulate such success, ensuring a balance between environmental stewardship and economic development.
“The implementation of this Bill will be overseen by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, which will monitor compliance through regular audits, enforce penalties, and facilitate gas utilisation projects in collaboration with operators and development partners.
“The Anti-Gas Flaring (Prohibition and Enforcement) Bill, 2024, is a timely and necessary response to one of Nigeria’s most pressing environmental challenges. Its provisions are both practical and forward-looking, addressing immediate concerns while laying the groundwork for a sustainable future.
“I urge all Honourable Members to support the Second Reading of this Bill as a demonstration of our collective commitment to environmental protection, public health and economic progress”, he added.
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Oil & Energy

‘Indigenous Companies To Gain From Shell’s Contract Awards’

Published

1 month ago

December 9, 2024

The Tide

Oil major, Shell, has restated its commitment to the development of Nigerian companies through contract awards and scaling up of expertise.
Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company ((SNEPCO) Limited, Ron Adams, made the remark while speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the 13th edition of the Practical Nigerian Content forum held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, with the theme “Deepening the Next Frontier for Nigerian Content Implementation”.
Represented by the Manager, Business Opportunity, SNEPCO’s Bonga South-West Aparo Project, Olaposi Fadahunsi, he said several benefitting companies had taken advantage of the patronage to expand their operations and improve their expertise and financial strength.
Adams said, “Shell companies execute a large proportion of their activities through contracts with third parties, and Nigeria-registered companies have been key beneficiaries of this policy aimed at powering Nigeria’s progress”.
He emphasized that Shell companies in Nigeria also continued to develop indigenous manpower through scholarship programmes with over 3,772 undergraduate and 109 Niger Delta post graduate scholarships since 2016.
“As we speak, beneficiaries of the 13th edition of the Niger Delta Post Graduate Scholarship awards are pursuing their studies in the United Kingdom. The employability rate of the scheme is high with over 98% of the graduates who won the awards securing employment in the oil and gas industry, academia and Information Technology, among other sectors, within one year of completing their studies”.
He commended the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for ensuring compliance with the Nigerian Content Act saying “Nigerian content will continue to be an important part of Shell operations”.
The four-day conference hosted by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and participating companies reviewed progress on the development of Nigerian content pertaining to the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Development (NOGICD) Act since it was enacted in 2010.
Shell companies in Nigeria are among the more than 700 oil and gas entities that participated in the forum with a strong message of support for Nigerian companies, having awarded contracts worth $1.98 billion to the businesses in 2023 in continuing effort to develop Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry.

Oil & Energy

NNPC Begins Export From PH Refinery

Published

1 month ago

December 9, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has sold the first cargo of Port-Harcourt low sulfur straight run fuel oil (LSSR) to Dubai-based Gulf Transport & Trading Limited (GTT).
The company is expected to load the cargo in the coming days onboard the Wonder Star MR1 ship, signalling the commencement of operations at the plant and the exportation of petroleum products.
The ship would load 15,000 metric tons of the product, which translates to about 13.6 million litres.
Although the volume coming from the NNPC into the global market is still small, the development has the potential to impact the Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) benchmarks in the future, while changing the market realities for Atlantic Basin exporters into Nigeria and other regions.
The sulfur content of the export by NNPC stands at 0.26 per cent per wt and a 0.918 g/ml density at 15°C, according to Kpler, a data and analysis company.
The cargo was reportedly sold at an $8.50/t discount to the NWE 0.5 per cent benchmark on a Free on Board (FOB) basis.
Kpler reported that the development would help displace imports from traditional suppliers in Africa and Europe, as Nigeria’s falling clean product (CPP) imports are already decreasing, dragging imports into the wider West Africa region lower as well.