The Chief Operating Officer
of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation set
tongues wagging when he
revealed to the House of
Representatives that he did
not know the number of oil
blocks Nigeria has.
Bello Rabiu appeared before
the House committee
investigating the
controversial Malabu oil deal
and OPL 245 on Tuesday
afternoon.
After telling the committee
that the NNPC was not
directly involved in the
controversial deal, Mr. Rabiu
was asked to give details of
Nigeria’s oil fields.
Razak Atunwa, the chairman
of the committee, said he
posed the question because
he believed it would help
lawmakers to determine
Nigeria’s oil revenue
prospects amidst the
lingering financial crisis.
“I don’t know the answer to
that question,” Mr. Rabiu
said.
Mr. Rabiu said statistics about
oil prospecting licences and
oil mining licences were not
kept with the NNPC, but the
Department of Petroleum
Resources and directed
lawmakers to contact the
department for the
information.
Mr. Rabiu also told the
committee that the NNPC Act
gave the Minister of
Petroleum the absolute power
to exercise discretion on
award of oil licences.
“The NNPC Act, even till
today, clearly stated that the
minister can award oil
exploration licences at his
discretion,” Mr. Rabiu said.
The licence for the OPL 245 oil field was
awarded to Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd. in
April 1998 by a former Minister of
Petroleum, Dan Etete. The oil firm was
later traced to the minister.
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