The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NURC) board member-nominees following the recommendations of its committee on Petroleum Resources.
The commission, after the inauguration of the approved nominees, will take over the responsibilities of the Department of Petroleum Resources based on the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
The Red Chamber’s confirmation of the NURC Board member nominees followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream).
The nominees confirmed include Isa Modibbo, Chairman; Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive; Hassan Gambo, Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts; and Rose Ndong, Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreage Management.
The Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Senator Albert Akpan, had during his report at plenary said that the nominees exhibited adequate knowledge of the workings of the petroleum industry, especially the upstream sub-sector and the economics of petroleum exploration and production.
The lawmaker pointed out that the appointments of the nominees satisfied the requirements of Sections 11 and 18 (1-5) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
He said: “There are no adverse reports against the nominees as record checks and other forms of investigations by security agencies did not reveal any negative trace against them.”
According to him, during the assessment of the nominees, the Committee was satisfied with their qualifications, experience, suitability, competence and integrity to occupy the positions of Chairman, Chief Executive and Executive Commissioners of the Commission.
In his remarks, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said the establishment of the NURC would provide a foundation for sustainable development of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources industry, adding that the confirmation of the NURC board members has automatically led to the scrapping of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
Lawal further clarified: “The Regulatory Commission has the enormous and huge responsibility of setting and establishing the Commission as provided in the Petroleum Industry Act.
“They have the unenviable responsibility of ensuring that they commit themselves and work hard to provide the solid and stable foundation for that matter, that they don’t waste any time because time is of essence.
“The implication of the approval of board members for the commission is that the Department of Petroleum Resources has ceased to exist.”
“The Petroleum Industry will go through a reform process and the process has already started. This Commission is one of the huge arms of those reforms that will stabilize the petroleum industry in Nigeria.
“While the Senate confirms them, we expect nothing less than commitment and patriotism on their side. The Senate wishes them the best and a very fruitful tenure as they take their offices.
“We expect that the other regulatory authority for downstream and midstream will also be confirmed as soon as possible, so they also start their work immediately”, the Senate President added.
