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NNPCL, FIRS, Police fingered as govt agencies evading audit
The Senate committee on public account, has listed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, Nigerian Police Force, NPF, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, among MDAs which have refused to appear before the public account committee.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu (Nasarawa West), expressed dismay over the delay tactics and refusal of some MDAs to appear before the committee and tender account for the year ended 2019.
Aliyu, on Tuesday at a press briefing in Abuja, decried some agencies have willfully failed to honour invitations to defend their written responses to the audit queries as submitted to the Committee Secretariat.
According to Aliyu, the Committee has over time, extended invitations to those agencies providing them ample opportunities to defend their queries but for reasons best known to them, these agencies have chosen to dIsregard invitations.
He said, “the desire of the Public Accounts Committee to timely discharge its constitutional and legislative function is being delayed by the evasive and negative actions of some CEOs or accounting officers of the concerned MDAs.
“The Committee is very displeased with the attitude of foot dragging by agencies who are by law. expected to respond to
parliamentary invitations and account for their actions.
“Section 62 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, states The Senate or the House of Representatives may appoint a committee of its members for such special or general purpose as in its opinion would be better regulated and managed by means of such a committee, and may by resolution, regulation or otherwise, as it thinks fit, delegate any functions exercisable by it to any such committee.
“Provisions of Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Rule 95(5) of the Standing Orders of the Senate, 2023 (as amended) vest the Public Accounts Committee with the mandate of ensuring accountability and transparency in the management of the public accounts of the Federation.
“The Committee has powers to consider and inquire into the Report of the Auditor-General for the Federation on the Accounts of the Federation and to also embark on status inquiry on revenue generation ahd exoenditures oT the accounts of the Federation.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I have called you this afternoon as Core partners not only in our Committee’s proceedings but as constitutionally empowered workers/servants in the vineyard of constitutional democracy to express our concern and displeasure at the attitude of some MDAs and their CEOs towards Our invitations to defend the audit queries raised against them in the Auditor-General’s Annual Report for the Year ended 31st December, 2019.
“It is worthy to state that the Committee Commenced the consideration of the Audit Report in October, 2023, with a view to presenting its report.
“Beside the demand for submission of written responses to audit queries, part of the Committee’s rules of engagement requires that Accounting Officers attend the Committee’s Public Hearing to respond to questions arising from the analysis of their submissions which in turn forms a basis for informed decision on the matter by the Committee.
“This action by the concerned MDAs impacts on the Committee’s calendar and plan to submit its report to Senate Plenary.
“It is on this note that we as a Committee have resolved that going forward, the Senate Public Accounts Committee will go ahead to consider their audit queries as contained in the Auditor-General Annual’s Report and any MDA that henceforth fails to honour invitations to respond and present its defense, the Committee will adopt the position of the Auditor.
“Also, this resolution would be added to our rules of engagement if MDAS fail to improve on their attendance to our invitations”.
MDAs evading appearance as listed by the Chairman includes, Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (former DPR), Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment and FCT Internal Revenue Service.
Others include, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited.
By Ojomah Austin.
The evolving fall-out, which comes barely days to the contentious National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP, followed a back and forth between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike and the Governors forum, who declared support for Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara to be made leader of the party in the state.
After a meeting with some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Bauchi on Wednesday, Governor Mohammed, said “According to our party’s constitution, any leadership vacancy should be filled by someone from the region where it originated,” stressing that Damagum would be replaced soon considering that he hails from North East and not the North Central.
Same day, Makinde, during the groundbreaking of the upgrading of Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, to an international airport, which was attended by another set of NWC members, led by Damagum, said he would support whatever decision the Damagum-led NWC would take to reposition the party.
Damagum, who is considered a close ally of Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, was appointed acting national chairman after the removal of Iyorchia Ayu in June 2023.
Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP led by Senator Adolph Wabara, met with members of the National Assembly caucus in Abuja.
The close door meeting comes barely hours after the BoT met with Wike in Abuja.
While Wabara refused to comment on the essence of the meeting with the lawmakers, it was noticed that most of the lawmakers didn’t honour the invitation.
By Mario Deepromoter
Sad development in Marika village, Kiyawa Local Government, Jigawa, where a 40-year-old man, Jibrin Adamu, committed suicide by hanging himself.
According to eyewitnesses, Adamu’s lifeless body was discovered in a classroom at Miftahul Khairat Islamiyya and Primary School Gurdiba on Thursday.
Police spokesperson DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam confirmed the incident, stating that preliminary investigations revealed Adamu had struggled with mental health issues.
“Police received a report on Thursday that at about 1830hrs, a tragic incident was reported at the Command headquarters that one Jibrin Adamu ‘m’ age 40yrs of Jigawar Maroka village, Kiyawa LGA has committed suicide by hanging himself over the ceiling at Islamiyya school,” the Police spokesperson told Daily Post.
The Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP AT Abdullahi, has instructed officers to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
By Mario Deepromoter
11plc, Total Energies, AA Rano, and other marketers have begun lifting Dangote Petrol through Nigerian National Company (NNPC) Trading Limited for N765.99 to retail outlets nationwide.
Findings showed some petroleum marketers who were able to complete their payment process on the NNPC trading payment portal commenced the lifting of petrol earlier this week under the existing agreement between marketers and the refinery.
Tunji Oyebanji, managing director, 11Plc confirmed to BusinessDay on Thursday evening that some marketers have started lifting the products at N765.99 from Dangote Refinery through NNPC who remain the sole off-taker of product.
“We were among the first marketers to complete the payment on the NNPC portal. We have no direct arrangement with the refinery,” Oyebanji said.
It was gathered that NNPC Retail, 11plc, Total Energies, A.A Rano are among the marketers that have picked up products from the refinery.
He added, “We don’t know the contractual financial arrangement between NNPC and the refinery but what I can confirm is we are buying at N765.99 from NNPC to lift Dangote petrol”.
Efforts to get the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to confirm if its members have picked up products at the Dangote Refinery proved abortive at the time of writing this report.
See also Nigeria’s Petrol Landing Cost Revealed
Adedapo Segun, executive vice-president, downstream at NNPC said marketers cannot purchase petrol directly from the refinery because the product is still sold at a subsidised rate.
“That is the same thing happening with Dangote. I said earlier that Dangote is a company and it is going to sell at market price,” he told Journalists.
According to Segun, “The market value of PMS is still higher than what N766 or N765 or N799 that NNPC is selling.
“The situation has not changed there. So, NNPC’s off-taking is only because the others would not buy at the price Dangote will be willing to sell, which is reasonable.
“As soon as the price allows for it, you will see the marketers go to Dangote and buy.”
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