Namibia: Parliament Fears ‘Power Vacuum’ in Petroleum Bill

The petroleum amendment bill has been criticised for creating a power vacuum over parliament, leaving the president unaccountable if passed.

The bill, which is now at a committee stage, is seeking to put the oil and gas sector under the Office of the President, with management by the upstream petroleum unit.

This takes away the powers of the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) parliamentarian Michael Mulunga…