Bayelsa State Government has handed over a new building in the State Capital, Yenagoa to Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), to temporarily accommodate the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre (ADRC) to mediate disputes between players in the oil and gas value chain as well as host community.
Sen. Duoye Diri; Governor of Bayelsa State during a brief ceremony held at the office site represented the document of the building to Capt. John Tonlagha, NUPRC, Executive Commissioner Health, Safety, Environment and Community, who represented Engr Gbenga Komolafe, NUPRC Commission Chief Executive, earlier in the week.
EnergyDay’s check showed that the ADRC, a unit under the National Oil and Gas Excellence Centre (NOGEC) is primarily aimed at resolving conflicts among parties relating to commercial, contractual, technical, and host community issues, among others, in the industry without recourse to law courts.
Governor Diri in his remark noted that the building was designed and tagged as the building meant for the Ministry of Finance and it was completed in record time. And so, the Ministry of Finance was preparing and warming up to pack into their new building.
He said, “However, within the same period, I received a letter from the NUPRC requesting an office space for an Alternative Dispute Resolution centre, to be established here in Bayelsa State in Yenagoa, which from all the information we had, was to be centred in Lagos.
He also noted that Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo influenced the relocation of the ADRC, to Bayelsa State.
According to the Governor, one of our sons, who got to know about it, came against it and started moving towards relocating the ADRC to the region where the dispute was originating.
Governor Diri confirmed that the Bayelsa State handed over the edifice to NUPRC as a temporary office.
EnergyDay’s further check showed that the ADRC had a six-member Advisory Council headed by Engr, Komolafe and also consist of a 20-member body of Neutrals.
The unit was inaugurated by former President Mohammed Buhari in 2021, in consonance with the provisions of the Petroleum Act Cap P10 Laws of the Federation 2004 which emphasises the settlement of disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms without recourse to litigation.
