House of Reps Summons NUPRC, Mgt of First Hydrocarbon Ltd Over Allegations of Wrongdoing in OML 26

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has invited the Chief Executive Officer

Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to appear before it on a matter brought before the committee by some communities in Delta State.

The Communities Oko, Abuator, Akarai-Etiti and Akarai-Oboodo are host communities hosting wellheads and other oil production facilities who were wrongfully and deliberately excluded from the Host Community Trust Fund contrary to the NUPRC Implement Template issued pursuant to Section 235(6) of the Petroleum Industry.

The Communities instead of resorting to violence wrote the Chief Executive Officer of NUPRC requesting adherence to the NUPRC Implementation Template and received no response whatsoever thereby necessitating the Communities to address a petition to the House of Representatives.

In a statement by Chooks Oko, head of media of the committee, he noted that the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Mike Etaba frowned at the absence of both the NUPRC and First Hydrocarbon Ltd at the last two hearings of the petition despite due invitations with proof of service issued by the committee. He warned that the committee will not hesitate to issue arrest warrants to the Respondents should they fail to appear at the next sitting coming up on Thursday 19th September 2024.

He further stated that the committee could also decide to foreclose the right of Reply of the Respondents and hear the petition in their absence.