Windhoek – Hon. Bishop Festus Thomas, representing the BCP party delivered a forceful rejection of a proposed petroleum and gas bill in Parliament arguing it hands excessive control to the executive in violation of Article 100 of the Namibian Constitution.
Addressing the Honorable Speaker and members, Thomas emphasized petroleum’s critical role in modern society. “The Namibian people understand that as an integral part of modern society, the importance of petroleum and energy cannot be overstated or be controlled by one institution,” he stated warning that centralized executive power breaches constitutional provisions on resource management.
Thomas outlined petroleum’s broad applications noting it supplies over 90% of energy for national and international transportation, fuels vehicles from cars to spacecraft and serves as a raw material for plastics, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, electricity generation and heating. He highlighted its economic contributions including growth, job creation, tax revenue and support for related industries essential for Namibia’s businesses and basic needs.
However, he cautioned against environmental risks tied to its widespread use, while focusing his critique on governance. Drawing global examples, Thomas pointed to production declines under presidential control:
– Venezuela: Output fell from 3.5 million barrels per day in the 1970s to about 1 million today due to poor leadership, corruption and U.S. sanctions.
– Nigeria: Crude production dropped to 1.42 million barrels per day in December 2025, below global limits.
– Ecuador: Production declined from 557,000 barrels per day in 2014 to 473,000 in 2021 amid political unrest, corruption, protests and infrastructure failures.
“Due to the president’s constant disregard for the rule of law,” Thomas urged all parliamentarians and Namibians to vote against the bill prioritizing national interest and constitutional legitimacy over partisanship.
The BCP opposes the bill for concentrating upstream policy, licensing, appointments and regulatory authority in the president’s hands and those of appointees. Thomas argued this fosters secrecy, unchecked discretion, weakened fiscal safeguards and reduced accountability for legislature and ministers. “It violates the constitutional principles of fair rational administration and separated accountable governance,” he said, predicting increased unfairness and scandals.
Instead, the BCP advocates regulation through law, transparency and responsible institutions to promote oil production jobs, investment and national revenue. In conclusion, Thomas stressed checks and balances: “It is not a wellconsidered strategy to give the executive power to handle the nation’s oil without check and balance.”
