Tag: ministerial power

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House of Reps Passes Petroleum Industry Bill

Channels Television reports that the House of Reps’ Ad-Hoc Committee report on the PIB has been considered and that the Bill has been passed by the lower house.

This comes after a flurry of Bills (46 in total) were passed by the Senate yesterday, June 3, after same were transmitted by the House of Reps.

The House of Reps’ passage of the PIB comes to little or no avail as the 7th Assembly wrapped up today. The Bill would have also required passage by the Senate.

Indeed, Senate president, David Mark, in his End-of-Assembly speech, admitted the lawmakers failure to pass the Bill.

The PIB has been before the House of Assembly since July 2012.

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The Extent of Ministerial Powers under the Petroleum Industry Bill 2012

Feature article

All I want is a warm bed and a kind word and unlimited power.
Ashleigh Brilliant

The phrases, “the Minister may”, “as may be decided or imposed by the Minister” “the Minister shall have the right” are phrases commonly sighted in the Petroleum Act 1969, the principal legislation currently governing the Nigerian petroleum industry as well as subsequent industry legislations. These Ministerial powers cover a multitude of issues ranging from power to grant upstream and downstream petroleum licences, prescribe terms and conditions of licences, control pricing of petroleum products, declare national emergency,[1] order discretionary suspension of petroleum operations and make regulations, to mention a few. These provisions have resulted in the vesting of a huge amount of power in a single office with almost unfettered powers to direct the affairs of this very sensitive industry. The product has been an industry with a record of abuse of power, lack of transparency and accountability and ineffective regulatory oversight, resulting in little or no benefit being derived by the citizenry. Continue reading “The Extent of Ministerial Powers under the Petroleum Industry Bill 2012”