Senate Confirms Ogan, others Appointment

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Gogo Ogan as chairman of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and three other nominees.

Their confirmation follows a report which the Senate Committee on Downstream Petroleum Sector consideration during plenary.

The Chairman, Senator Sabo Mohammed, representing Jigawa South-West, who presented the report, noted that the nominee’s appointments align with section 34(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

According to him, “The nominees possess the technical knowledge and professional expertise to be chairman, chief executive and executive directors of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.”

Mohammed noted that the committee did not receive any petition against their nominations for the appointment. He added that the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), and possess the Code of Conduct Acknowledgement Slips cleared the nominees.

For his part, Senator Ajibola Basiru (Osun Central) said the executive-legislative partnership has paid off with dedicated efforts to stabilise the Nigerian economy, notably the oil and gas industry, thanks to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act.

“I think this should be noted for Nigerians to know that the country is ready for full utilisation and optimisation of the benefits in the oil and gas sector,” he said.

However, according to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the nominations are well-positioned to build the groundwork for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority.

He charged those confirmed to work in collaboration with the relevant committees of the National Assembly to ensure positive outcomes in the oil and gas sector.

According to Lawan: “They need to work hard, they need to be selfless. What they do is going to impact very significantly on the reform of the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

“[And], when they work hard on the foundation, they could get it right and then any other development in the future will be on a very sound, solid and stable foundation.

“To do otherwise is not an option. This is a trust that this nation has bestowed on them.”

Other NMDPRA nominees include Farouk A. Ahmed – Chief Executive Officer; Abiodun Adeniji – Executive Director, Finance and Accounts; and Ogbugo Ukoha – Executive Director, Distributions System, Storage and Retail Infrastructure.