ABUJA/Nigeria: In a fiery exchange at the ongoing National Assembly Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources’ 2024 budget defense session, Hon Nnamdi Ezechi, representing the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, unleashed a scathing critique.
Ezechi, expressing profound dismay, underscored the prolonged neglect of the oil-rich region despite its substantial contributions to the nation’s economic landscape. He fervently urged for an immediate resolution to this pressing issue.
Pointing to Ndokwa land’s pivotal role as a host to numerous national oil and gas companies, a 960 megawatts Independent Power Plant, and its claim to the largest gas reserves in sub-Saharan Africa, Ezechi passionately denounced the glaring absence of federal presence in the area, deeming it entirely unacceptable.
Specifically targeting the 2024 budget proposals of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ezechi highlighted the omission of any project earmarked for Ndokwa land. He pressed upon the Joint Committee the urgent need to rectify this significant oversight promptly.
In response to these vehement accusations, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobri, and his Gas counterpart, Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, attributed the perceived marginalization to the shortcomings of relevant interventionist agencies.
Senator Lokpobri clarified the Ministry’s primary responsibility in policy formulation for the oil and gas sector, citing provisions within the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) intended to address concerns within oil-producing regions.
Assuring Ezechi of immediate actions to escalate the concerns to the appropriate authorities, Lokpobri appealed to the Joint Committee to increase the 2024 budget allocation for the Ministry. He pledged a commitment to rectify the discrepancies that have stirred discontent within Ndokwa land, aiming to address the region’s grievances.
