Windhoek: The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has revealed that it will not support the Petroleum Amendment Bill, firmly asserting its complete rejection of the proposed Bill. Speaking at the party's media briefing at its chambers in Windhoek, which primarily focused on the Petroleum Bill, IPC leader Panduleni Itula emphasised that petroleum governance should be grounded in constitutional accountability rather than presidential centralisation.According to Namibia Press Agency, Itula stated that the IPC places on record its firm objection to the Petroleum Bill, which seeks to transfer core upstream petroleum powers from the responsible minister to the president and to a presidency-controlled Upstream Petroleum Unit. Itula said the Bill is not a minor administrative adjustment, but rather a deliberate consolidation of upstream petroleum governance into a single political office, which would undermine institutional checks and parliamentary oversight."Ministers can be questioned, censured, and held to a ccount. A president unit led by presidential appointees' blurs responsibility and weakens oversight," Itula added. The IPC leader further raised concerns about who would be the primary decision-maker within the structure and whether political preferences, rather than the law, could potentially influence the regulatory framework, negotiations and approvals.The proposed Petroleum Bill seeks to amend the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, 1991, among other things, by modifying and defining specific terms, transferring powers from the minister of mines and energy to the president, and delegating authority to the director-general of the Upstream Petroleum Unit. Itula argued that the Bill raises corruption risks by creating conducive conditions for abuse. He stressed the importance of governance based on law, transparency and accountable institutions, rather than concentrated power.The Bill has also faced criticism from other political leaders. Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani argued in the National Assembly last week that legislators must be fully convinced of the necessity and justification for the changes. Venaani emphasised the need to ensure that granting such significant authority to a single office serves the best interests of transparency and accountability.The Bill, which was reintroduced to the National Assembly last week by Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Modestus Amutse, is considered strategically important for the management and governance of Namibia's petroleum resources. According to Amutse, the amendments update the 1991 Petroleum Act to reflect current realities and align Namibia's petroleum governance with international practices, while ensuring public accountability.