Janet Samuel, Abuja
The Senate has set up an Adhoc Committee to investigate all the contracts awarded for the rehabilitation of all state-owned refineries said to have gulped N11.35 trillion in 13 years.
The Committee was constituted by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau of Kano North who presided over plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.
The committee, which is to be chaired by the Senator representing Kogi East, Isa Jibrin-Echocho, has the Chairmen of the Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream, Upstream and Gas), Finance, Appropriation, and Public Accounts as members.
The Senate mandated the panel to interrogate the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited NNPCL and Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on the best approach to commercialise state-owned refineries.
The resolution, which was sequel to a motion moved by the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sunday Karimi., expressed concern that the state-owned refineries in Nigeria have been a serious drain pipe of public finance, depriving the citizens of the joy of being an oil producing nation.
He said between 2010 to date, Nigeria is estimated to have spent N11.35 trillion, excluding other cost in other currencies which include $592, 976, 050.00 dollar, 4, 877, 068.47 Euros and 3, 455, 656.93 Pounds, on renovation of refineries, yet they are unproductive.
The Lawmaker noted that, despite the moribund state of the four refineries, their operating costs between 2010 and 2020 is estimated at N4.8 trillion.
He expressed worry that if a thorough investigation of the past and current rehabilitation projects is not undertaken by the Senate, the circle of awarding unproductive turn around maintenance contracts may not abate, thereby retaining the status quo where rehabilitation contracts have become conduit pipes for siphoning pubic funds.
Contributing to the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole representing Edo North said Senate must embark on proper oversight functions to make sure that Nigerians enjoy value for their tax.
According to Senator Adamu Aliero of Kebbi Central, economic saboteurs deliberately frustrated government’s effort to make the refineries work so they continue to benefit from fuel importation.
Idiat Adebule of Lagos state wondered why the nation keeps putting money in rehabilitation of refineries annually when they remained non-functional.
In his remark, the Deputy Senate President said if the refineries had been working, the country would not be experiencing the current economic hardship.
“So, it is therefore very important that a thorough investigation should be done to make sure that everything that we need to know is brought open to us.
“Who are those who are sabotaging the efforts of government? Anybody who has a hand, sabotaging the efforts of the government to bring these refineries into operation and those who have taken money that is meant to turn around these refineries must be brought to book. We must know them and decisive actions must be taken,” he said.
The Committee has four weeks to submit its report.
