Janet Samuel, Abuja
The Senate adhoc Committee to investigate contracts for the rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries has threathened to demand for dismissal and trial of senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, (NNPCL) its subsidiaries and other relevant agencies of government connected to the Turn Around Maintenance ( TAM) of the refineries.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Isa Jibrin -Echocho issued the threat on Wednesday during the committee meeting on the failure of the senior executives of the NNPCL and other relevant agencies to appear before it.
Checks revealed that the Senate adhoc Committee had invited the chief executive officers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and their subsidiaries
The lawmaker who were dazed at the action of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari for their inability to appear before it asked their representatives to exit the Senate room.
Senator Jibrin said:” We can not start this investigative hearing without the heads of the agencies. Let them go and report to their principals that we have declined to listen to them if they fail to turn up we know what to do.”.
While speaking at the meeting, Senator Sumaila Kawu said the Senate was determined to get to the root of public fund spent on the moribund refineries.
He said:” We are working according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are not in the Senate because of our names but because of the constitution. We are practicing constitutional representation and it is very clear.
“So much money has been spent on the turn around maintenance of the four refineries. From 2012 till date over N12tr has been spent based on our records. We also have over $592m, 4.8m Euros and 3.4m pounds spent between 2010 till date on the Turn Around Maintenance yet none of this refineries is working.” He said.
