Get Guardian on GoogleThe Chairman of the Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum, Senator Sumaila Kawu, has cautioned nominees for executive director positions in Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector not to work against President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda.
Kawu made the remarks on Thursday during a screening and confirmation hearing for the nominees. He argued that administrative bottlenecks, inefficiency and deliberate non-compliance in some government agencies were obstructing official policy and eroding public confidence in the sector.
“Some agencies are simply not helping Mr President in the actualisation of his vision for the petroleum sector,” he said. “This must stop.”
The senator did not name the agencies concerned, nor did he give examples of the practices he described. He did, however, tell the nominees that, if confirmed, they would be expected to respect the law, demonstrate integrity and accountability, and carry out government policies within the limits of their mandates.
Seven nominees appeared before the committee. They were proposed for executive director roles spanning finance and accounts, distribution and infrastructure, health and safety, hydrocarbon processing, economic regulation, corporate services and legal affairs.
Beyond the question of compliance, Kawu urged the nominees to consider how reforms in the petroleum sector affect ordinary Nigerians. He noted that rising fuel prices had pushed up the cost of transport, food and other essential goods, placing households and businesses under strain.
“Regulation must not be punitive,” he said. “Rather, it must be progressive, transparent, responsive and people-centred.” He called for practical and sustainable measures to ease the economic pressure on citizens.
According to the chairman, the sector requires stronger energy security, fewer inefficiencies, healthy competition and sustainable investment to deliver lasting benefits. He further stressed that regulatory institutions must remain independent in discharging their statutory responsibilities, while also remaining answerable to the public they serve.
The nominees who were screened at the hearing were Abiodun A. Adeiji, Ogbugo Kalu Ukoha, Mustapha Lamorde, Mobolaji Tajudeen Musa, Ogechukwu Olufunmilayo Modie, Said Abutalib and Jumoke Gafar.
The screening forms part of the Senate’s constitutional role in confirming appointments to key regulatory and executive positions. Following the exercise, the committee is expected to submit its report to the full Senate, which will decide whether to confirm the nominees. Lawmakers have in recent months stepped up scrutiny of agencies in the oil and gas industry, citing the need for accountability, transparency and efficiency in a sector central to the country’s economy and to the daily lives of Nigerians.
