EIA issues: Lawmakers order Aiteo E&P, Oando to appear before them within 7 days or risk arrest

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The House of Representatives Joint Committee on Environment, Petroleum Resources, Upstream, and Petroleum Resources, Midstream has again summoned the Chief Executive Officers of Aiteo E & P Company as well as the Nigerian Agip Oil Company currently known as the Oando Oil Ltd to appear before it in 7 days or risk arrest.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon Pondi Julius issued the summon during a joint investigative hearing of his committee at the National Assembly yesterday.

The House Committee had earlier expressed displeasure over the attitude of the two major Oil companies to honor its invitation at the investigative hearing.

Speaking during the probe, the Chairman, reiterated its panel readiness to evoke relevant sections of the laws to ensure that lawmakers are not taken for granted by an institution or individuals.

He therefore directed the Clerk of Committee to put down a strong worded letter of invitation to the two Chief Executives of the oil companies in order for them to appear unfailingly next week, Tuesday, being Oct 15 2024 unfailingly.

In his welcome remarks, the Chairman had commended all stakeholders presence at the hearing disclosing that his probe is meant to make formal inquiry for the purpose of addressing serious concerns affecting their constituents and the environment.

According to him,: “the issues at hand pertain to the operations of Aiteo E & P Company and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (now Oando Oil Ltd)”

” These companies’ activities allegedly portend grave environmental consequences in their host communities and, by extension, the nation as a whole.”

Earlier in his an opening remarks, the House Speaker Hon. Tajudeen Abbas urged members of the committee to be free and fair to all invited stakeholders.

The speaker further stressed the important oil companies play in the economic development of our Nigeria adding that it also contributes significantly to Nigeria national income as well as provides employment and supports infrastructure development in various regions.

However, this contribution should not come at the cost of the health, well-being, and livelihood of the people in our host communities, nor the expense of the environment.

Our correspondent recalls that the House at its sitting of Tuesday, 12th March 2024 had considered a motion titled Environmental Impact of Transporting Crude Oil by Mega Seagoing Vessels from Nembe Creek Trunk to Offshore Crude Oil Storage in the Atlantic Ocean by Aiteo E & P, and resolved to:urge the Federal Ministry of Environment to compel the Management of Aiteo E & P to conduct an environmental impact assessment of the project, as dictated by the Environment Impact Assessment Act, 2004, and include the host communities, the state government and stakeholders, in line with international best practice, subject to scrutiny of the public and environmental experts.