Uproar in NASS during Lokpobiri’s budget defence

Uproar in NASS during Lokpobiri’s budget defence

There was uproar at the National Assembly as Senators and
members of House Representatives disrupted the 2025 budget defence session for
the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

 

The incident took place on Friday during the presentation by
the Minister of Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, who appeared alongside
Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.

 

The lawmakers flared up over the absence of budget documents
in advance.

 

Angered by the development, one lawmaker directly confronted
the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas).

 

After the heated atmosphere, Lokpobiri apologised for the
mix-up, stressing that the delay was unintentional and assuring the committee
of the ministry’s respect for the National Assembly.

 

DAILY POST gathered that during the presentation, Ekpo
emphasized the commitment of the Federal Government to addressing explosions in
the petroleum sector and expanding the use of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, as a
cleaner energy source.

 

He also revealed that the Federal Government had released
N222 billion to six companies to support midstream and downstream
infrastructure development, aiming to ensure nationwide CNG dissemination.

 

It was further learnt that the proposed 2025 budget for the
Ministry of Petroleum Resources stands at N4.25 billion, with allocations for
personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures.

 

The session also reviewed the ministry’s 2024 budget
performance, noting achievements in oil and gas sector reforms, including
efforts to promote modular refineries and enhance in-country refining capacity.

Source: Uproar in NASS during Lokpobiri’s budget defence

 - NigerianEye
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