Mohammed Shosanya

Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),has insisted that producers must give priority to crude supply.

Chief Executive Officer, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, disclosed this on Tuesday at a meeting to review Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation as contained in Section 109 (2) of the Petroleum Industry Act.

He explained that the overall objective of the government was to ensure that Nigeria becomes a net exporter of refined petroleum products.

“Producers should satisfy their domestic crude oil supply to the domestic refineries so that as a nation we seize the opportunity to reverse the ugly trend by ensuring that we develop our midstream and end being a net exporter of petroleum products, especially now that we are trying to exit the subsidy regime. The only way to sustain that is to become robust in our domestic refining capacity.

He explained the Commission expects the issue to be resolved in the next 48 hours, stressing the complaints made by the producers were being taken seriously.

According to him, the “complaints received so far from within the Commission, oil producers and Dangote refinery that are of concerns to the Commission include: a. Inability to factor in the provisions of the law while executing contractual agreements. This has resulted in some companies being reluctant to allocate a portion of their production to Domestic Refineries. b. Change in vessel nomination under 24 hours to lay-can. c. Inability to provide the required financial instrument / backing prior to loading. d. Delay in Expected Time of Arrival of vessels resulting in production cut which is inimical to our national budgetary targets. e. Frequent Change in laycans for crude oil allocated to domestic refineries and f. Delays at loading terminals after the arrival of the loading vessel”.

The federal government has expressed concerns over the capacity of the industry to meet its domestic crude obligations to local refineries, insisting that supply to local refineries remain a priority.

Oil production in 2024 has so far failed to meet budgetary targets of 1.78 million per day and with several refineries scheduled to come on-stream this, concerns about the feedstock supply to the refineries have increased in the past month.

Also speaking chairman, OPAC Refinery, Mr. Momoh Oyarekhua noted that the local refiners have received almost no crude oil from producers in the past three years.

According to him,despite having a refining capacity of 10,000 barrels per day, the OPAC Refinery received just 1,500bpd in 2022.

He explained that the government has to resolve the issue of currency of payments for crude oil supplied to local refineries whether it would be in Naira or dollars as demanded by the producers.

Some oil producers also pointed out that while the policy was good, meeting demands for local refineries required additional investment to boost production.

They stated that with companies trying to fulfil existing supply contracts, it was impossible for them to switch oil supply to local refineries.

Representatives of the Oil Producers Trade Section, OPTS, and Independent Petroleum Producers Group, IPPG, said the government has to address the challenges facing the industry.

The agency directed a Committee in charge to come up with a clear template that will drive smooth, seamless implementation of the domestic crude oil supply obligation within 48 hours.

Some of the refiners outlined the numerous challenges they face to include crude pricing and supply and the fact that the adoption of dollar as payment currency when their transactions are done in Naira is creating is quite challenging.

Mohammed Shosanya

A Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt has declared that Sir Celestine Omehia is not a former governor of Rivers State and as such is not entitled to the pensions meant for former governors and their deputies.

Justice Daketima Kio, while delivering its ruling in the suit instituted by Omehia on Tuesday, said that the counterclaim by the state government demanding that Omehia repay N695m was lacking in merit, stating that Omehia did not compel anyone to pay him the money.

He ruled that from the records at his disposal,Omehia never applied to be recognised by state government nor the State House of Assembly, hence the state government cannot legitimately demand a refund of the monies wrongly paid to him.

The judge aligned with the judgment of the Supreme Court which described Sir Omehia as an imposter and pretender, ordering that Omehia should not be conferred with the status of a former governor.

He further ordered that Omehia should not benefit from the pension of governors and deputy governors, the judge also declined to award cost in favour or against any party in the suit, declaring that the parties bear their costs

It would be recalled that,Rotimi Amaechi was substituted for Celestine Omehia as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the 2007 prior to the general elections.

However,after the elections, Omehia won and was sworn in May 29, 2007 after the administration of Dr. Peter Odili.

Rotimi Amaechi, who initially won the party primaries before the PDP wrongly substituted him with another candidate, headed to court to challenge the candidacy of Omehia, after a long legal battle, the supreme court ruled that Amaechi was the validly elected candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared Amaechi replaces Omehia as Governor.

During the administration of Nyesom Wike as governor of Rivers State, the House of Assembly, enacted a law recognising Omehia as former governor of the state, paying to him all his entitlements.

Last year,Wike as the then Governor, withdrew the governorship recognition accorded Omehia and demanded that he refund all pensions he had received over the years.

Omehia approached the court, seeking a declaration that he be recognised as a former governor of the state.