The Federal government has announced plans to retain the workers and assets of the defunct agencies scrapped Monday under the provision of the new Petroleum industrial Act (PIA)
According to the Minister of state for Petroleum resources, Timipre Sylva, the agencies including the Department of Petroleum Resources, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency and the Petroleum Equalisation Fund cease to exist following the inauguration of board members for Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission.
Sylva explained that with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act, the NPRA and NURC had taken over the functions of the DPR, PPPRA and PEF.
“The law states that all the assets and even the staff of the DPR are to be invested on the commission and also in the authority. So that means the DPR doesn’t exist anymore.
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“And, of course, the law specifically repeals the DPR Act, the Petroleum Inspectorate Act, the Petroleum Equalisation Fund Act and the PPPRA Act. The law specifically repeals them. It is very clear that those agencies do not exist anymore,” he said.
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Speaking at the inauguration of the new boards on Monday, the Minister noted the process for aligning the workers of the defunct agencies with the new regulatory bodies had already commenced, as the staff had to be rationalised.
He however stated that the law do not protect the jobs of the Chief executives of the defunct agencies, as they were political appointees.
“The PIA provides for the upstream regulatory commission and the establishment of the midstream and downstream authority.
“So far, the chief executives of these agencies have not been in place, but of course, Mr President in his wisdom made the appointment a few weeks ago and they went through a rigorous process of confirmation at the National Assembly.
“The agencies have now taken off because they now have clear leadership and today’s event marks that beginning for the new agencies,” he said.
According to the Minister, the PIA has clarified the legal framework around the sector with the functional boards, and competent hands now in place.
