Baru made this known at the 2018 annual stakeholders meeting of the Department of
Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Abuja on Thursday.
The meeting, with the theme “Regulatory Compliance as a veritable tool for safe and
efficient operations in Nigeria’s oil and gas Industry,” could not be held last year as
expected.
Baru, who was represented by Mr. Henry Ikem-Obih, the Chief Operating Officer,
Downstream of the NNPC, said that compliance with regulations would eliminate crisis
in the industry and guarantee long-term viability of the industry.
“Challenges for the industry of this size would always be in getting all operators to fully
comply with regulations.
“Compliance with regulations, we would say, is the biggest challenge in the industry today;
just for people to do the right things according to various laws and regulations we have in
the industry,” he said.
According to him, if everybody plays their part in achieving and sustaining compliance,
there will be a pain-free experience for the consumers.
He added that operators as well would remain in long-term viable businesses.
He urged the Department of Petroleum Resources to ensure effective enforcement to
achieve total compliance in the sector for growth and development.
Mr. Joseph Akinlaja, the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Downstream,
commended the effort of the DPR in ensuring effective compliance with regulations
in the sector.
Akinlaja added that the enforcement of online registration by operators was a step in the
right direction.
He urged the regulator to include tanker owners and drivers to be part of the stakeholders
meeting to enable them to understand the need for compliance to regulations for the
good of all.