Senate Confirms Modibbo, Komolafe, Gambo, Ndong As NURC Board Members

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the nomination of Isa Ibrahim Modibbo for appointment as the Chairman of the board of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NURC).

The Upper Chamber also okayed the nomination of Engr. Gbenga Komolafe as Chief Executive of the NURC.

Also confirmed are Hassan Gambo as Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts and Mrs Rose Ndong, as Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreage Management.

The confirmation of the nominees followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream).

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan, in his report, recommended that the Senate should confirm the nominees for appointment.

Akpan said: “The Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) having screened and scrutinized the Curriculum Vitae and other accompanying documents of the nominees recommends thus: ‘That the Senate do approve the confirmation of Isa Ibrahim Modibbo; Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Hassan Gambo; and Mrs Rose C. Ndong for appointment as Chairman, Chief Executive and Executive Commissioners respectively, of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission.”

According to Akpan, “there are no adverse reports against the nominees as record checks and other forms of investigations by security agencies did not reveal any negative trace against them.”

He said the Committee was satisfied about the qualifications, experience, suitability, competence and integrity of the nominees to assume the position of Chairman, Chief Executive and Executive Commissioners of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission.

Senators approved that the nominees be confirmed when the recommendation was put to voice vote by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

Lawan in his remarks urged the nominees to be patriotic and committed in the discharge of the huge responsibilities reposed in them.

He said their work is expected to stabilise and reposition the nation’s petroleum industry for optimum performance and profitability.

He instead that the establishment of the NURC would provide a foundation for the stabilization of the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

He said, “The Regulatory Commission has the enormous and huge responsibility of setting and establishing the Commission as provided in the Petroleum Industry Act.

“They have the unenviable responsibility of ensuring that they commit themselves and work hard to provide the solid and stable foundation for that matter, that they don’t waste any time because time is of the essence.

“The Petroleum Industry will go through a reform process and the process has already started.

“This Commission is one of the huge arms of those reforms that will stabilize the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

“While the Senate confirms them, we expect nothing less than commitment and patriotism on their side.

“The Senate wishes them the best and very fruitful tenure as they take their offices.

“We expect that the other regulatory authority for downstream and midstream will also be confirmed as soon as possible, so they also start their work immediately.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had in a letter penultimate week urged the Senate to confirm the four nominees for appointment

Buhari said his request was predicated on the provision of Section 11(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, to request the Senate to confirm the appointment of four nominees as Chairman, Chief Executive and Executive Commissioners to the Board of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission.