By Tom Okpe
The House of Representatives Ad’hoc Committee, investigating crude oil theft has insisted on appearance, physically, of Group Chief Executive Officers of the Nigeria National Petroleum Ltd, (NNPC); Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) and the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, (NIWA).
Chairman of the Committee, Rep Alhassan Rurum gave the instruction on Friday, second day of the investigative hearing of the House Committee where Heads of Agencies were invited but rather, sent Directors as representatives.
He noted that most of the invited CEOs had written to the House Ad’hoc Committee, asking for permission to be represented by these Agency’s subordinate staff as they are not disposed to appear in person and honour the invitation.
Quoting section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, (as amended), he said the House probe panel has the powers to invite and cause appearance of any individual, government official or cooperate entity charged with the responsibility of administration of public funds.
READ ALSO: Husband allegedly K@lls wife over food in Edo
At the hearing, the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA) and the Nigeria Upstream Regulatory Authority, (NUPRA) said the pipelines, well heads and flow stations are the major targets of these oil thieves.
They also blamed faulty metering procedure, faulty instrument and lack of technology as impediments in the efforts of these agencies in tackling oil theft.
A representative of the CEO of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed and Director, Operations Oseni had told the committee that there is no proper monitoring of the metering of the crude oil produced for exports due to lack of collaboration among agencies.
A Committee member Rep Awaji Inombek Abiante, (Rivers, PDP) said argued that pipeline location is not really the major cause of oil theft rather, it’s the neglect of oil host communities.
In his ruling, the Committee Chairman Rep Rurum said Heads of all invited agencies must appear in person on Monday, September 11, 2023.
He also requested that the invited CEOs of these agencies come with a list of all other agencies working in export terminal of all the nation’s oil sector.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.