BEVERLY HILLS, CA, July 09, (THEWILL) –Â From all indications, the last is yet to be heard of the face-off between the House of Representatives and Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, as the House Wednesday constituted a seven-man ad-hoc committee to investigate the minister and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) on allegation of illegal sale of Oil Mining Licence (OML 29).
The inauguration of the ad hoc committee on Wednesday was sequel to a June 2 House resolution on allegations that Shell and other oil majors may have hidden under the cover of waivers usually granted by the Petroleum Resources Minister to embark on the sale of OML 29 and others.
The committee as announced by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, has Hon. Aminu Suleiman (Kano/APC) as chairman. Other members are: Hon. Babatunde Adejare (Lagos/APC); Hon. Irona Alphonsus Gerald (Imo/PDP); Hon. Binta Maigari Bello (Gombe/PDP); Hon. Ismaila Ahmed Gadaka (Yobe/APC); Hon. Umaru Haliru Aliero (Kebbi/PDP) and Hon. Sunday Akpodiogaga Emeyese (Delta/PDP).
The Committee is expected to establish the validity of the transactions and report back to the House within two weeks.
The House had noted that OML 29 has been in the custody of Shell for more than 52 years and one-half of the area of the lease has not been relinquished to the Federal Government as stipulated by the Petroleum Act.
Item 12(1) of the First Schedule to the Petroleum Act stipulates that 10 years after the grant of an oil mining lease, one-half of lease shall be relinquished to the Federal Government.
The motion, titled Inadvertent Sale of OML 29 and other OMLS by SPDC and other Oil Majors, was sponsored by Hon. Irona Alphonsus Gerald .
Gerald had, in his lead debate, disclosed that “the out-right sale of OML 29 and other OMLS is in direct contravention of the (Petroleum) Act and undermines the national interest.”
SAINT MUGAGA, ABUJA.
