The House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities has passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), citing improvements in crude oil recovery and pipeline security.
Chairman of the committee, Dumnamene Dekor (APC, Rivers), announced the resolution on behalf of the lawmakers following the adoption of a subcommittee report on a petition against PINL at a special sitting on Tuesday. The committee also recommended that the federal government extend PINL’s pipeline surveillance contract after dismissing allegations of financial mismanagement and other improprieties against the company and its Managing Director, Osahon Okunbor, as unsubstantiated.
The decisions followed the adoption of a subcommittee report on a petition against PINL at a special sitting of the committee on Tuesday. The petition, dated 5 September, was filed by the Niger Delta Oil-Producing Communities Reform Movement (ND-OCRIM), which accused the company of improper contract implementation, mismanagement of contract funds, neglect of surveillance personnel and alleged personal expenditure linked to Mr Okunbor. The petitioners also called for a forensic review of PINL’s finances.
However, the subcommittee said the petitioners failed to appear despite three invitations issued on 14 September, 22 September and 5 October. It added that they neither sent representatives nor submitted documentary evidence to support their allegations. PINL appeared before the subcommittee and submitted a written report titled The Impact of PINL Operations on Oil Production and Stability of the Niger Delta, alongside geotagged photographic evidence.
Based on the submissions, the subcommittee concluded that the allegations against the company and its managing director had not been substantiated. It recommended that the committee dismiss the petition and discontinue further investigation into the issues raised.