Energy Activists March Against Proposed Oil Decommissioning Commission
- Energy reform activists stage protest in Abuja, urging lawmakers to scrap the proposed National Commission for the Decommissioning of Oil and Gas Installations Bill
- ERAN’s Executive Director, Abba Henry, calls the bill a duplication of existing agencies and a financial burden on Nigeria’s struggling economy
- The group launches a campaign tagged “KILL THIS BILL,” vowing to resist the proposal through petitions, town halls, and legal action
Protesters under the banner of the Energy Reforms Advocates of Nigeria (ERAN) took to the streets of Abuja on Monday to oppose the National Commission for the Decommissioning of Oil and Gas Installations (NC-DOGI) Bill, 2024.
The group described the proposal as wasteful and unnecessary, calling it an attempt to duplicate existing agencies in the oil and gas sector, Vanguard reported.
Source: Original
At a press briefing, ERAN Executive Director, Comrade Abba Henry, condemned the proposed legislation, describing it as “another feeding bottle for the boys” and “a poisoned dagger aimed at the heart of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).”
He said Nigeria’s fragile economy cannot sustain another commission that would drain public funds.
Activists warn of redundant commission
According to Henry, the creation of NC-DOGI is needless since two existing regulatory bodies already handle decommissioning activities.
He cited the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) as having the full capacity and mandate to oversee such operations.
“They have the staff, the laws, the labs, and the muscle to decommission any platform from Bonny to Forcados. Why create a third referee when the field already has two?” he asked.
The activists warned that the proposed commission could breed confusion in the sector and drive away potential investors. Henry cautioned that overlapping roles among agencies would encourage corruption and administrative bottlenecks.
“One agency will approve the plan, another will supervise the cutting, and the third will fight over who collects the contractor’s kickback. Investors hate chaos. They will simply take their dollars to Ghana,” he added.
Source: Getty Images
Group vows to block passage of bill
ERAN accused sponsors of the bill of undermining the Petroleum Industry Act, which they said took two decades to come into effect.
Henry argued that the law is still in its infancy and should be allowed to stabilize before any structural changes are introduced.
“The ink is still wet. Don’t tear the book to add a new chapter nobody asked for,” he said.
The group also unveiled a five-word slogan, “KILL THIS BILL,” pledging to mount pressure on lawmakers until the proposal is withdrawn.
Plans were announced to submit petitions to the National Assembly, organize town halls across oil-producing communities, and challenge the bill in court if necessary.
“Nigerians are awake. We will name and shame every senator who votes for this money-guzzler. History will record their greed,” Henry declared.
He urged the Senate President and Speaker of the House to reject the bill outright. “Do not keep it alive. Do not smuggle it. Do not rename it. Bury it today so Nigeria can breathe tomorrow.”
Students rally for 100% crude allocation to Dangote plant
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that members of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) had urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise domestic oil refining and allocate Nigeria’s entire crude oil output to the Dangote Refinery.
The students made the demand during a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday in Abuja, describing the refinery as a beacon of hope for national economic renewal.
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Source: Legit.ng
