2 months ago
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Chief Executive, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has inaugurated a Body of Neutrals, the first of its kind, for the Upstream Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Inaugurating the body on Tuesday, NUPRC Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, said, “It is the commencement of a transformative chapter in the realm of dispute resolutions” for the centre which “embodies the core values of impartiality, expertise, professionalism and dedication.”
Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, thanked the commission for relocating the centre to the state, saying it will save the locals the expense of travelling to Lagos and Abuja to seek the resolution of disputes with oil companies through litigation.
Komolafe explained that the reason for resorting to ADR is to avoid the delays, high costs and adversarial postures that can exacerbate conflicts and strain relationships as witnessed in numerous protracted legal battles between oil companies and their host communities.
The Body of Neutrals has a retired Bayelsa State justice, Nayal Aganaba, as chairman, with membership comprising both men and women, including lawyers, retired judges, oil and gas industry experts as well as experts in other professional fields.
Charged with providing oversight of disputes and mediation of matters that fall within its jurisdiction and facilitate guaranteed access to quality, cost-effective and time-efficient resolution of disputes that arise in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, the centre is expected to enhance quick access to justice and foster a culture of resolution and cooperation, as well as collaboration and partnership for a future that will embrace exciting technological possibilities, such as online dispute resolution platforms, virtual mediation sessions and digital case management systems.
Komolafe appreciated the role Governor Diri played in the relocation of the centre by providing a befitting office accommodation for the commencement of the ADR Centre.
Governor Diri called for the employment of Bayelsans in NUPRC, saying they should not be alienated from the resources of their lands and soil while thanking the commission for relocating the centre to the Niger Delta.
He reiterated his call for the amendment of the Petroleum Industry Act to include state and local governments, as well as the increment of the allocation to communities from the present three per cent, which he described as grossly inadequate, to 10 per cent.
The governor also renewed the call for the relocation of the headquarters of the international oil companies to the Niger Delta region because peace has returned, just as he thanked late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, who kick-started the amnesty programme for former militants.
