Members of the committee vowed to unravel the rot in the petroleum sector and declared that it will no longer be business as usual.
The Senate through its ad-hoc committee mandated to investigate alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian petroleum industry, has summoned various stakeholders in the sector for interrogation.
The 15-memeber committee led by the leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), confirmed this while speaking to journalists on Thursday at a press briefing on the scope of the mission assigned to it and its readiness to identify the accused saboteurs in the sector.
OrderPaper recalls that the committee was set up on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, during plenary. The resolution was adopted following an extensive debate by senators on a motion sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South) regarding the importation of hazardous products and the dumping of substandard diesel into Nigeria.
Key stakeholders in the petroleum industry have been called before the committee for a public hearing scheduled for September 10–12, 2024. These include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigeria Ports Authority, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the minister of state for petroleum resources (oil).
Others are the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Navy, International Oil Companies (IOCs), Dangote Group, Capital Oil, Modular Refineries etc.
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According to Senator Bamidele, “The rationale for this news conference is pure and simple.
“It mainly borders on the alleged economic sabotage in the petroleum industry. including the recent accusations and counter of importation of petroleum products into the country.
“Given its consequences on our domestic economy, the Senate under the able leadership of Senator Gadswill Akpabio, constituted this 15-man ad-hoc committee to investigate alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian petroleum industry on July 3, 2024.
“Specifically, the committee as mandated by the Senate, would examine the pre-shipment and pre-discharge standard test parameters adopted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority with a view to uncovering loopholes, if any, being exploited to get toxic cargoes into the country.
“Determine the level of compliance of the NNPCL’s Direct Sale and Direct Purchase (DSP) arrangements in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, including the extent of transparency and accountability.
“Beam legislative searchlight on the activities of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), including payments made to transporters in the last 10 years.
“Enquire from the NNPCL the state/status of the 22 depots built by the defunct NNPC to eliminate road distribution of petroleum products.
“Engage with stakeholders within the oil and gas industry with a view to identifying possible gaps in regulating and strengthening the surveillance and monitoring structures in place to enable Nigeria to detect violations of best practice standards in the importation of products before they enter into the domestic supply chains
“Also engage with the NNPCL with a view to understanding the extent of its determination and timelines for the start-up of government-funded oil refineries.
“Investigate how institutions across the importation and distribution chain failed to conduct quality sampling, shipped in products without auditing, and performed port validations by the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON); and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).“
He also noted that the committee has resolved to carry out holistic investigations and has written to all the relevant stakeholders in the sector for submission of relevant documents and appearance before it during the hearing.
Members of the Committee include Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South), Abdullahi Yahaya (PDP, Kebbi North, Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), Solomon Olamilekan (APC, Ogun West), Diket Plang (APC, Plateau Central), Harry Banigo (PDP, River West), Khabeeb Mustapha (PDP, Jigawa South West), Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North, Eteng Williams (APC, Cross River Central), Adetokunbo Abiru (APC, Lagos East), Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West), Sahabi Ya’u (PDP, Zamfara North), Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) and Ifeanyi Ubah (APC, Anambra South).
