PIA: Reps panel summon NUPRC, NMDPRA over D&A funds

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating  short fall in Decommissioning and Abandonment (D&A) has summoned the management of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to appear before it.

Chairman of the panel,  Bassey Ekpenyong, who issued the  summons at the inaugural session of the Ad-hoc Committee, yesterday, said this is a result of the failure of the agencies to comply with  it with essential documents crucial to the probe.

Ekpenyonng said the heads of the two agencies must appear in person, before  the panel, on Wednesday, or be represented by competent officials, with full authority to respond to lawmakers’ query.

The House had last month resolved to probe alleged breach of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), especially as regards the Decommissioning and Abandonment of oil facilities, in oil communities.

The committee chairman noted that the PIA stipulates clear obligations for responsible asset stewardship, lifecycle planning, decommissioning fund contribution, safe facility retirement, and environment remediation.

However, he stated that abandoned or poorly decommissioned oil and gas facilities pose serious risks, including environmental degradation, economic loss, communal  conflict, to the country.

Therefore, Ekpenyonng assured that the panel would be fair and firm in the discharge of its duties, saying “our approach will be fair, professional, evidence-driven, and transparent. This is not an adversarial inquiry—it is a national responsibility to protect our environment, safeguard our economy, and uphold the rule of law in line with the PIA.”

Earlier, Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, while inaugurating the panel, said the investigation is necessitated by the need to ensure strict adherence to the PIA,  especially in the areas  of environmental protection, host community welfare, and lifecycle management of oil and gas assets.

“This work demands close attention to detail, strong knowledge of the relevant laws, and independence of judgment,” he stated, pledging the full support of the House and urging all stakeholders to cooperate fully,” Abbas stated.