Trouble seems to be breeding in the Senate as supporters of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) yesterday pushed further their case at the Senate, with facts on the sector which is causing uproar in the house.
The Senate Chairman on Rules and Business who represents Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial district Senator Ita Enang at the yesterday sitting disclosed that 83 per cent of oil blocks are owned by northerners
Senator Enang while presenting his evidence said he did not intend to divide the country but to guide those who wanted to contribute to the debate to be truly informed.
Enang in his argument said northerners who owns oil blocks include Alhaji Mai Deribe, Borno State and owner of Cavendish Petroleum, which operates OML 110 with an average of about N4billion monthly, Seplat/Platform Petroleum, operators of the ASUOKPU/UMUTU Marginal Field with Mallam (Prince) Sanusi Lamido, Kano, as a major shareholder and director.
South Atlantic Petroleum Limited (SAPETRO) established by General T. Y. Danjuma, Taraba State, who is also chairman of Eni Nigeria Limited.
SAPETRO partnered with Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNI) and Brasoil Oil Services Company Nigeria Limited to become operators of the OPL 246.
AMNI International Petroleum and Development Company is owned by Alhaji (Colonel) Sani Bello of Kontangora , Niger State, operators of OML 112 and OML 117, former Petroleum Minister and former OPEC Chairman, Rilwanu Lukman, another northerner who manages AMNI oil blocks “with very key interest in the NNPC/Vitol trading deal.”Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a company owned by Alhaji Indimi, runs three oil blocks – OML 115, the Oldwok field and the Ebok field, Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s Express Petroleum and Gas Limited, operates OML 108.
Speaking further, Enang said OML 113 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited is owned by Alhaji W.I. Folawiyo, Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Gambo, North East Petroleum Limited, owns OPL 215 Licence.
North East Petroleum was awarded blocs OPL 276 and OPL 283 and closing there upon in a Joint Venture Agreement with Centrica Resources Nigeria Limited and CCC Oil and Gas.
According to Enang, INTEL is owned by former Vice President Atiku, while the duo late Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Ado Bayero has substantial stakes in Nigeria ’s oil exploration industry both in Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe and Mike Adenuga’s Conoil is the oldest indigenous oil exploration company with six blocks. OPL 291 was awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited, owned by Emeka Offor, which was sold to Addax Petroleum leaving almost nothing for the South south, Niger Delta oil producing areas.
While advocating for host communities fund Enang said “If we had the host communities fund, the danger that we have been having in Arepo in Ogun State, the area would have benefited from the host communities fund.”
