Nigeria not in breach of WAGPA policy
Nigeria’s federal government has insisted that it wasn’t in breach of any part of the treaty setting up the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) by the selection of a Nigerian to head the organisation.
WAGPA is an international institution established by the treaty on the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) Project signed by the Heads of States of the Republics of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo.
But it was gathered that the selection of a Nigerian, Ms. Chafari Kanya, had raised eyebrows within the regional body , with the francophone countries insisting that Nigeria cannot have both the headquarters and the director general simultaneously.
Nigeria’s argument is that no part of the international agreement imposes any obligation on members of the organisation to forfeit their right to produce the DG even if the head office is situated in their country.
The pipelines project is run by the West African Gas Pipeline Company limited (WAPCo), jointly owned by Chevron (36.7 per cent), Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) (25 per cent), Shell Overseas Holdings Limited (18 per cent), Takoradi Power Company Limited (16.3 per cent), Société Togolaise de Gaz (2 per cent) and et Société BenGaz (2 per cent).
Speaking at the meeting of the Committee of Ministers (CoM) of WAGP in Abuja, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, maintained that the Accra resolution of November 2021, to move ahead with the appointment of a Nigerian as the head of the body remains very critical.
He called for the understanding of member nations, urging them to stick to the rules setting up the body.