The ad hoc committees set up by both the Senate and House of Representatives to probe alleged economic sabotage in the petroleum sector have settled for a joint investigation of the allegation.
Disclosing this in a statement he personally signed yesterday, chairman of the Senate ad hoc committee and leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, said: "As we return fully to the parliamentary sessions on Tuesday (today), the National Assembly will, without ambiguity, revisit its decision to decisively address challenges in the petroleum industry.
"The industry is not optimal in its performance. This may not be unconnected with crude oil theft, endless turn around maintenance of public refineries, importation of substandard petroleum products and disruption of fuel supply, among others.
"Contrary to some media reports, the Senate never suspended its ad hoc committee to investigate alleged economic sabotage in the petroleum industry, but postponed its public hearing due to the need to address issues that border on the rules of the National Assembly.
" Today (yesterday, both chambers of the National Assembly will resolve the issues and possibly constitute a joint committee that will continue with the investigation from where the ad hoc committee stopped." We are committed to unearthing the roots of economic sabotage in the petroleum industry in the national interest and develop institutional mechanisms that will make the industry more efficient and functional."
Bamidele, who noted that both chambers were expecting new Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and Fiscal Strategy Paper, FSP, from the Executive which were integral parts of yearly budget preparation, consideration and approval, said: "The consideration of MTEF occupies a prime place on the rung of our legislative agenda."
" This is simply because MTEF must be ready before the 2025 Appropriation Bill can be laid before the National Assembly.
"We are equally preoccupied with the review of the 1999 Constitution. In the Senate, the constitution review committee is chaired by the deputy president of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin."In the coming weeks, the committee will hold retreats and strategy sessions; call for memoranda and organise zonal meetings on some sections of our constitution that should be amended.
" Given the pedigree of all its members, this exercise no doubt promises a truly federative approach that will redefine and reinvent public governance in this country."
