Amid dwindling funds, Senate wants more money for DPR

Even as government laments its dwindling financial resources, the Senate says it will seek for additional funding for the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) Senator Tayo Alasoadura made the revelation when he led members of his committee to the headquarters of the DPR, in Lagos on oversight responsibility.

According to him, what was at the disposal of the DPR was inadequate to enable it execute the constitutional mandate expected of it in the ongoing year, adding, that the number of staff also in the employ of the agency was not enough.

The committee noted that the 1120 staff in the workforce of the agency was not enough, and promised an amendment of the necessary existing acts to raise its workforce in order to enhance its efficiency.

Read also: Nigeria loses $4.2bn in 8 months from oil and gas

Alasoadura said, “They have briefed us about their difficulties and I believe that the most important area there is funding. If they have enough money, they can do a lot of things and without money, you cannot modernize. It is modernisation that is required. They have started it and I believe that the National Assembly will support them to ensure that they get to the level that they should get to”.

The committee also asked the DPR to henceforth, prepare and forward to it, the daily product records of oil and gas in the country.
This he said, would afford the Red Chamber the opportunity to have deeper knowledge of activities of the oil and gas sector in the country.

On assertions that the DPR was incompetent, Alaosadura said, “From what we have seen here today, people’s perception about the DPR may not be correct. And when they start coming out to let the people know what they are doing and how they are doing it, I’m sure the perception will change, “he added.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now