Group Reveals Key Violations In NCDMB Governing Council Inauguration
The inauguration of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board's (NCDMB) Governing Council revealed key infractions, which have been identified as an official procedural breach.
The NCDMB Governing Council was established under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act and is made up of representatives from select institutions in the oil and gas industry.
According to Niger Delta Professionals (NDP), President Bola Tinubu announced the members of the new NCDMB Council on December 7, 2023, saying they would be chaired by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), and the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, would serve as the Council's Secretary.
Mrs. Oritsemyiwa Eyesan, Executive Vice President, Gas, Power, and New Energy, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd; Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC); Mrs. Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, Representative of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources; and Mr. Nicholas Odinuwe, Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), are among the other members. Others include Mr Olorundare Sunday Thomas, Commissioner of Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering (COREN), and Dr Raphael Samuel, representative of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF).
Before this development, NDP President Trueson Ogiri, and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry expressed concerns after Lokpobiri overturned a key decision made by the Board's executive secretary, Felix Ogbe.
Their reaction followed the executive secretary's reversal of the decision, which involved redeploying some Board employees.
In a letter dated March 5, 2024, and addressed to the ES, with reference no. HMSO/MPR/SSA/005/VOL1/009, the Minister stated that it has become necessary to emphasise that the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Act 2010 does not empower the Executive Secretary to redeploy or appoint Management Staff.
Citing Section 81 (2) (b) of the Act, the Minister stated that "Those policies and the administration of the Board's daily affairs. As a result, the ES lacks the authority to redeploy, appoint, or employ Management Staff.
However, Mr. Ogiri, who has extensive industry knowledge, revealed that one of the individuals listed and inaugurated as board members of the NCDMB's Governing Council was redeployed by the Federal Ministry of Finance through the Accountant General of Federation two weeks before the event on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
In a Circular from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation dated February 5 (TRO/865/VOL.XIX/6), Treasury officers were moved from their current positions.
The movement had an impact on Warrens Bekearedeb, A, Director for Grade Level 17. The officer moved from FMPR (AUDIT) to the Nigeria Lottery Regulatory Commission's Accounts Department. Six other officers at the same grade level were also affected by the move.
"There is growing evidence that the hurried composition and inauguration completely ignored the existing laws establishing the Governing Council."
The NOD president explained that the Minister overlooked some critical issues, including the exclusion of two important bodies that had previously been part of the Council.
Section 71(1) of the NOGICD Act 2010 establishes the NCDMB Governing Council, while Section 72 of the Act lists the composition of the GC to include representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (MPR), Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN), NNPC PLC, Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF), Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), The Agency in charge of Technical Regulation
The Council is primarily responsible for overall policy direction and oversight of the Board's operations. On December 7, 2023, new members of the Governing Council were announced based on the power vested in the Nigerian President.
The new membership was drawn from the aforementioned statutory bodies.
However, on February 29, 2024, the NDP claimed that the Minister, purportedly acting on the President's orders, inaugurated the NCDMB Governing Council with all new members except for the NAICOM and PETAN representatives, who were reappointed by the president.
However, the two major issues from the new Governing Council Inauguration stemmed from the fact that the HMS, who is also a new member of the Council, ought not to have inaugurated the new Council that he is a member of.