Power supply: Reps make case for Rivers, Bayelsa
… Direct FG to stop use of explosives by oil service firms
The House of Representatives has urged the Ministry of Power to work towards completing the installation of 333KVA Line in Onne, Rivers and Bayelsa.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rep. Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP-Rivers) and 17 others at plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion, Abiante said that Rivers is the sixth most populated state in Nigeria with a population of 7.3 million people. (NBS, 2016).
“Rivers is economically significant as the centre of Nigeria’s oil industry similarly, Bayelsa with population of 2.2 million people is the fourth largest producer of crude oil in the country,” he said.
“Therefore, Nigeria’s prosperity in terms of GDP and foreign exchange earnings cannot be well-articulated without mentioning the significant contributions of Rivers and Bayelsa.
“In 2020, Rivers was reported to have the third highest unemployment rate in Nigeria put at 43.7 per cent, while 27.8 per cent of the labour force in Bayelsa was unemployed.
“The structure of the Nigerian economy is typical of an underdeveloped country with only one sector accounting for about 95 per cent of export earnings and about 85 per cent of government revenue between 2011 and 2012.
“Nigeria’s industrial sector in the same period however, accounted for a paltry 6 per cent of economic activities, while the manufacturing sector contributed only 4 per cent to the GDP,” he said.
Abiante said that in spite of the amount of resources in Rivers and Bayelsa, the 333KVA Line which should be a catalyst for industry and manufacture has not been considered.
According to him, to the extent that the 333KVA Line infrastructure proposed for Onne, Rivers has since been abandoned while the installation of 333KVA Line in Bayelsa is yet to commence.
In his ruling, Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase mandated the House Committees on Power and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Mines and Steel Development has urged the Federal Government to halt the licensing of oil service companies on the use and sale of explosives in the country.
Rep. Michael Enyom, Chairman of the committee said this on Wednesday in Abuja after an investigative hearing on the licensing and sale of explosive devices by chief executives of some oil servicing companies in Nigeria.
He asked the committee’s Clerk and its secretariat to convey the ruling to relevant agencies for enforcement.
“The committee hearing is on general compliance of these companies to the permits, licensing and sale of explosive devices to end users in compliance to Explosives Act 2013 enacted by the apex parliament the National Assembly,” he said.
He said the there was need for individuals and corporate entities to comply with the provisions of the law on explosive usage.
Enyom after taking the memorandum submitted by AOS Orwell Ltd, Halliburton Ltd and Enver Nigeria Ltd said that that they were flouting the companies permits on the sale of explosives.
“Basically the Act provides that anyone or company working or dealing with explosive should get licence or permit issued by the Ministry in charge of natural resources in the country.
“Some of the companies CEOs grilled by the House Committee however, said that they complied with the provisions of the law on the sale and usage of explosives,” he said.
