House of Representatives Investigative Panel on Subsidy Regime summons Sahara Energy to appear at hearing, as Finance Minister fails to appear a second time
The House of Representatives Special Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Petrol Subsidy Regime (2017-2021) at the resumed hearing on Tuesday, has summoned the Managing Director of Sahara Energy Limited to appear before it.
The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, and the management of Sahara Energy Limited were expected to appear Tuesday following a fresh summon by the Committee after their failure to appear last week Tuesday when they were invited.
The Committee convened at 11 am and waited in vain for two hours, neither the Minister nor Sahara Energy Limited made appearance nor sent communications to the Committee.
Addressing the press, Chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Al-Mustapha Aliyu, decried the lack of respect by government agencies and private companies to the parliament.
“The investigative hearing continued today and we were supposed to have in appearance Sahara Energy Limited. On Tuesday 9 of August, Sahara Energy appeared before the Committee and there were issues raised concerning their legal status that have to do with their company profile and it was resolved by this committee that Sahara Energy should appear today, 16th August to give more clarification on their legal status and other issues as resolved by this Committee.
As you can see, up till this time, Sahara Energy could not avail itself. We regard this as a total disregard for the constitutional provisions and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a deliberate attempt to subvert the work of this committee by Sahara Energy.
We could not receive any communication from them informing this committee of their non-appearance today. In line with this, and the express mandate given to this committee by the provision of Section 88 and 89 of the Constitution of Nigeria (As Amended), this Committee hereby summons Sahara Energy to appear before it on 7th September 2022 unfailingly with all the issues they were mandated to provide before the Committee.”
Expected to appear before the Committee on Wednesday is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), while on Thursday, Hyde Energy and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Ministry of Finance have been asked to appear before the Committee.
The management of Sahara Energy is to appear at the probe unfailingly on 7 September 2022.
