Abuja — The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee probing the activities of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries between 1999 and 2007 has said it will direct its investigations and public hearings to the importation of petroleum products into the country.

It also said it would beam its searchlight on the allocation of petroleum products to marketers and the lifting of crude oil, which it claimed had over the years being plagued by a lot of sharp practices.

Speaking at a media interaction to mark the end of the first phase of the committee's assignment in Abuja yesterday, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Igochukwu Aguma, said the committee would also investigate the activities of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS).

He said NAPIMS' investigation would expose the lapses in the organisation and explore avenues of making it more effective.

The committee's report on the first phase which dealt with the allocation of oil blocs over the past nine years was ready and would be laid before the House of Representatives next week, Aguma said.

The new phase of the investigations, he said, would commence before the end of the year, while the second phase report would begin before the end of the first quarter of next year.

Giving an insight into the report, Aguma said it covered the oil bloc bid round of 2000; the 2002 award of OPL 256; the 2003 award of OPL 223, OPL 251 and OPL 257.

According to him, the report also contains findings on the allocation of marginal oil fields, the 2005 bid round, the 2006 mini-bid round and the 2007 bid round.

There are also specific reports on OPL 236 and OPL 227, Nigerian Data Repository Project as well as a special report on bank accounts to which signature bonuses and other revenue accruing to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) were paid during the various bid rounds, he said.

Aguma explained that in conducting the investigations and writing its report, the committee placed emphasis on due process and transparency in the conduct of business in the oil industry.

"We do not have any interest for or against anybody or organisation whatsoever. We are not in anyway targeting any particular individual. The emphasis has been on due process. The committee is not out to witch hunt anybody or any organisation, but we are guided by the need to dispense information to Nigerians.

"We are here for justice, fairness and we want to assure Nigerians that the report that we have so far will be laid next week on the floor of the House of Representatives and the House will decide what to do with the report," he said.

He expressed dismay at the numerous contracts and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the NNPC and some foreign oil firms, stressing that the provisions of such agreements could not be binding on Nigeria until they were domesticated by the National Assembly as was done in the case of the West Africa Gas Pipeline.

He, however, said all contracts entered into by the NNPC between 1999 and until the Ad hoc Committee winds up would be investigated to ensure that Nigeria was not short changed.

He pleaded for patience and understanding from Nigerians, adding that the task before the committee was not only enormous, but highly technical, adding that care must be taken to avoid glossing over any lapse in the system.