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Nigeria: NNPC Probe - Reps to Hire Foreign Experts
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Leadership (Abuja)
16 May 2008
Posted to the web 16 May 2008
Philip Nyam
The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries from May 1999 to date said yesterday that it had concluded plans to hire foreign experts to provide technical services for its assignment. It warned that it would not condone indolence from those invited to testify at the public hearing.
The House had, on April 22, 2008 set up the committee following a motion on the floor for a comprehensive study of all transactions in the oil industry from May 1999 to date.
Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Hon. Igo Aguma, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at a press conference, said the committee would carry out a thorough investigation and shall not hesitate to invite any individual no matter how highly placed to give evidence before it if the need arises.
According to him, the investigation was not aimed at witch-hunting any individual or group but a conscious attempt by the House to find the root cause of the myriad of problems in the oil industry, adding that petroleum is at the base of the nation's economy.
He said the ad hoc committee wishes to state that in carrying out its task, it shall not deviate from its terms of reference and shall not encourage acts of indolence and disregard in the level of response to enquiries that shall be made by the committee.
Agumah said there was no big deal on the question of whether former President Olusegun Obasanjo may be invited or not. Obasanjo, it will be recalled, was the minister of petroleum for almost eight years during his administration.
"I want to let people know one thing that, the former president has not shown any disrespect to this House and has always cooperated in giving information. So, there is no big issue to invite Obasanjo to the House of Representatives or Masari or Opara or even the serving speaker."
The chairman advised the management and staff of the affected organisations and agencies to be guided by the principles of full disclosures on public assets and liabilities as well as adherence to the relevant laws that provide security for all forms of public property.
Expatiating on the engagement of the consultants, he said the leadership of the House has decided even before now that "If we are to carry out any investigation, technical inputs must be sought. In this case, we are going to look for international consultants."
Aguma assured that adequate opportunity shall be given to individuals and groups who may want to clarify issues relating to the actions or inactions in office during the period under review, insisting that the work of the committee will, however, be guided by the zeal to chart a new and positive corporate Nigeria using democracy as a vehicle.
He said in the course of investigating, if the committee discovered that the accounts of the NNPC or any of the agencies were not audited, it would call for that.
We are yet in the process of receiving memoranda. We are at the precincts of the assignments. If we find out that the accounts of NNPC are alien to auditors, we will let Nigerians know and they will audit it.
Although the chairman could not state precisely when the public hearing shall be held, he disclosed that the committee was still receiving memoranda. He stressed that the Joint venture partners will also be involved in the investigation.
He said: "Joint venture partners are not excluded from the goodwill of the House of Representatives in setting up the ad-hoc committee. This effort is part of the total strategic foresight of democracy to reposition the country to proactively think, plan and implement public policies for a better-managed economy."
For the second time in two days, the Speaker lamented the lack of dedication to duty by chairmen of standing committees of the House which has resulted in the slow pace of passage of bills, saying, "something is wrong somewhere."
It will be recalled that the speaker had Wednesday warned his colleagues on their lackadaisical attitude to committee work as well as on the poor attendance to committee sittings and plenary.
Bankole admitted yesterday in plenary that activities in the chamber were quite slow compared to last year's activities in the House and urged his colleagues to be more diligent in their duties.
"Out of the 65 bills, only 11 have been passed. Over 35 bills had been passed at this time last year. It is painfully obvious that something is wrong and that in lawmaking we are not doing well. Bills have lasted 4, 5, to 6 months without being passed. It is not rocket science, it is more than enough time to turn a report in."
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He reminded the legislators that they were being assessed by their performance by the Selection Committee and admonished them to turn in their reports before the end of the legislative year.
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