Last Thursday, the National Assembly passed the Petroleum Activities Bill 2023 which provides for the exploration, production, storage and transportation of petroleum but 31 amendments by APNU+AFC MP David Patterson were rejected by the government.
The Bill now replaces the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of 1986.
In the amendments he proposed, Patterson wanted the new Bill to have more collective oversight from the National Assemb-ly and a special commission, on the powers vested in the Minister.
He called first for the new Bill to cater for the creation of a “National Petroleum Commission”.