Reps urge FG to suspend oil mining licence sale

The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to suspend its planned auction of the Oil Mining Licence (OML) 11 asset.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Rep Victor Mela (APC-Gombe) at the plenary in Abuja on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Mela said the oil field under oil mining licence 11 was formerly operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) joint venture, adding that the field had been idle since the company was forced out of Ogoniland in 1993.

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The lawmaker stated that a Court of Appeal judgement on August 16, 2021, indicated that the SPDC joint venture lost its right to renewal of the operating license.

He said there were unresolved issues between the government and the host communities of Ogoni, which were fueling resistance and restiveness amongst the people.

Mela expressed concern over claims that the government was allegedly involved in a unity arrangement to auction OML 11 asset to Sahara Energy Limited for a sum of $250 million against the $1 billion offered by the SPDC.

He said there was a need to clarify and resolved issues associated with the planned auction among other matters.

The House, therefore, mandated its committee on petroleum upstream to investigate the planned auction among other matters, and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

The Star