By Favour Ifeoluwa & Akinola Ajibade The Federal Government yesterday( Monday) announced the transfer of Regulatory Oversight of the Electricity Market in Imo State to the state electricity regulatory commission, otherwise known as (ISERC). In a statement issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Common( NERC), the development is in compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), reiterating that all transfers envisaged by this order shall be completed by 31 December 2024. According to the Commission,the transfer Order’s provisions include: “Direct Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to incorporate a subsidiary (EEDC SubCo) to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Imo State from EEDC, and that EEDC shall complete the incorporation of EEDC SubCo within 60 days from 27th June 2024. The subcompany shall apply for and obtain licence for the in
By Akinola Ajibade
The Federal Government should try and expedite actions on the planned exploration of hydrocarbon (crude oil) deposit in the Bida Basin, the House of Representatives, has said.
The House also advised three of the nation's oil institutions namely the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to conclude the geophysical survey that the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) started in order to ascertain the availability of hydro-carbon in commercial quantity in Bida Basin.
This is sequel to the consideration and adoption of a motion on notice on the ‘Need to Fast-Track Geo-Physical Survey/Seismic Data Acquisition to Ascertain availability of
Hydro-Carbon in Commercial Quantity in the Bida Basin,’ brought by Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, member representing Bida/Gbajo/Kacha federal constituency of Niger State.
Presenting the motion,the lawmaker noted that “the Bida Basin also known as the Mid-Niger Basin comprises of eight Local Government Areas including Mokwa, Lavun, Gbako, Bida, Katcha, Agaie, Edati and Lapai in the Southern part of Niger State which extends to two Local Government Areas in Kwara State and one in Kogi State.
“The Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) during a visit to the Executive Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello to unveil the 2D Seismic Data Acquisition in the Bida Basin in 2020, announced that the NNPCL had commenced oil exploration activities in the Area and that the exploration could add 40 billion Barrels to Nigeria’s oil reserves by 2023.
“The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited is responsible for the Frontier Exploration Services in 2020 noted that in-depth Geo-logical and Geochemical studies revealed a strong presence of hydrocarbon-bearing indicators confirmed as oil and gas-bearing formations.
“The seismic data acquisition contract on the identified areas to determine the volume of the hydrocarbons in the Bida Basin was awarded to Integrated Data Services Limited and the China National Petroleum Corporation International Nigeria Limited by the NNPCL management.
“The discovery of oil in another region of Nigeria is good news for the country’s
energy sector and that if the volume of oil in the Bida Basin is established and exploration activities commence fully, Nigeria may, in the near future, overtake Libya, the country with the largest oil reserve in Africa.
“Expectant that the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its relevant Agencies would expedite action for the continuation of the oil exploration activities at the Bida Basin Niger State and other Basins in the country.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the NNPC Management to fast-track oil exploration across the Country, following Shell’s discovery of hydrocarbons in the Chad Basin and Kolmani River, while the NNPC heeded President Buhari’s directive on the Chad Basin as the people of Niger State are anxious about the slow pace of oil exploration activities in the Bida Basin,” he noted.
The House mandated the committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.
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