By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has called for the need to install computerized oil facilities management gadgets for crude oil businesses in Nigeria, noting that this would enhance productivity.
This call was made while deliberating on the motion raised by Senator George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) at the plenary session on Thursday, November 28, 2019 in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Senator Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers West), who seconded the motion, argued that, “Some communities in Niger Delta still complain of military damage of barges which in turn damage the environment. Software maintenance should be deployed in managing petroleum products.”
“This will enhance productivity in the production process. We should use internationally accepted standards to manage and monitor petroleum activities,” she opined.
Senator Francis Ezenwa (PDP, Imo East) also noted that with the computerized system, the country would be able to block all loopholes that lead to heavy taxation on citizens.
“We are going to save our citizens from excessive taxation because the essence of taxation is to get revenues to build infrastructure. Whatever we invest in this area I think it is worth it. I think this motion is important and critical and I urge my colleagues to support it,” he noted.
The members of the red chamber urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a consortium of such experts to evaluate the possibilities of installing computerized oil facilities management gadgets to curb the excesses of the multifaceted problems associated with the oil and gas production, transportation and sales business in the country.
The Senate then resolved to mandate the Committees on Petroleum Upstream, Downstream and Gas Resources to hold a public hearing with stakeholders to ascertain the quantity of oil and gas produced daily to this effect and also the quantity control mechanism as currently engaged by NNPC.
It was also reached that there would also been the need to determine the amount of waste of petroleum products through pilfering, pipelines vandalization, leakages, and from any other forms while considering the international best practice of computerized oil and gas business management, including pipeline protection and quantity and quality control.
It also resolved to look at other advice that could improve the oil and gas business in the country, asking President Buhari to appoint pre-shipment inspectors as prescribed by law under the pre-shipment inspection Act of 1999.
Senate President, Mr Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the session yesterday, announced that the lead Committee for the public hearing would be the Petroleum Downstream.
Dipo Olowookere