By Ezrel Tabiowo and Joshua Egbodo Abuja
Against the backdrop of alleged monumental corruption in the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Senate yesterday set up a nine-man adhoc committee to investigate the alleged award of $25 billion contract by the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Maikanti Baru without due process.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, had accused the GMD of awarding $25billion contracts without consulting either his offi ce or the Board of the Corporation, while also lamenting that there had been so much secrecy in the operations of the Corporation under Baru.
Th e committee was also mandated to investigate the policy introduced by the GMD in allocating all products to Duke Oil, as well as carry out a holistic investigation of the activities of the NNPC Trading Limited.
Th ese resolutions were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Samuel Anyanwu and entitled, “Allegation of Corruption against NNPC Trading: Time to conduct a holistic investigation”.
Anyanwu lamented that the level of corruption going on in the NNPC had deteriorated and urged the Senate to rise to the occasion as the people’s representatives, by bringing sanity to the establishment.
“Since we have resolved in this Senate that we are going to fi ght corruption, this is one of those corruptions that must be exposed”, he said.
Leading debate on the motion, Anyanwu pointed out that the NNPC Trading Limited is a business creation of the Corporation and composed of Duke Oil; Hyson/ Carlson (JV), NAP Oil (JV) and West Africa-Gas Limited (JV).
He decried what he described as the general lack of transparency and level-playing fi eld in favour of Duke Oil to lift products without payment as against its competitors in the sector.
He stated that this development had made Duke Oil the highest money earner and at the same time, the highest money waster because of the massive corruption in the way and manner they transact business.
Anyanwu lamented that the perceived favouritism shown to Duke Oil had helped to greatly stifl e the growth of indigenous companies operating in the sector.
Th e politician stated that the company lacked the requisite credentials to trade internationally, pointing out that the development had made the Duke Oil the only giant commission agent.
He pointed out that Duke Oil was incorporated in 1989 in Panama and therefore, does not pay tax in Nigeria, pointing out that it was specially registered to play a dominant role in the trading of petroleum products, especially crude oil trade in the international oil market.
According to the lawmaker, Duke Oil, compared to other major players in the sector, is still grappling with the basics of what it was registered to do in spite of massive support from the NNPC, owing to large scale corruption.
His prayers Th e motion reads: “Aware of the decision by the current GMD to allocate almost all products to Duke Oil, this is in addition to its automatic inclusion in the lifting of Crude Oil, Gas etc, which thus, made Duke oil a money spinning outfi t that is accountable only to NNPC; “Aware that Duke Oil remains the sole importer of AGO to PPMC and Retail, which it does through third party since it cannot import by itself, this contributes in slowing the growth of our indigenous companies that are making giant strides in the sector; “Aware that since NNPC owns NNPC Trading Limited and the refi neries, they also shortlist companies that get allocation of products, lifting of crude oil and importation of products thus, giving undue advantage to the in-house company, even where it lacks the capacity and requisite requirements to do what it is doing today; “Also aware of the general lack of transparency and level playing fi eld in favour of Duke Oil to lift products without payment as against its competitors in the sector; “Further aware that these have combined to make Duke Oil the highest money earner and at the same time, the highest money waster because of the massive corruption in the way and manner they transact business.
“Concerned that this relationship has helped to greatly stifl e the growth of indigenous companies operating in the sector.
“Concerned that Duke Oil lacks the requisite credentials to trade internationally, it therefore, makes Duke Oil a giant commission agent only.
“Also concerned that the net eff ect of the above arrangement is that, NNPC and by extension, Nigeria earns less than otherwise it would have if the process is open and transparent where products are sold directly to indigenous international oil traders; “Further concerned that money so far earned by NNPC Trading limited through its subsidiaries such as Duke Oil, remains only in the knowledge of NNPC offi cials.
” Necessary amendments However, in seconding the motion, Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC, Taraba Central), made some amendment to the original prayer of the motion, which restricted the probe to only trading in respect of Duke Oil.
Arrest warrant on Magu Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has issued an arrest warrant on the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, over his repeated failure to appear and explain why some bank accounts belonging to former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan were still frozen on the order of the Commission.
Th e committee is investigating a petition by Mrs.
Jonathan over alleged harassments by EFCC and some other federal government agencies, during which it was informed by the aff ected banks that “precautionary restrictions” were put on accounts belonging to Mrs. Jonathan, her siblings, parents and companies, based on the directive of the EFCC, a development that prompted the committee to summon Magu.
While the committee said it not questioning the powers of the Commission to direct restrictions where it’s investigating, it however expressed concern that such investigation had lasted for close to two years, a period for which access to the accounts had been denied the owners.
Counsel to Mrs. Jonathan told the committee that the banks acted based on mere letter from the EFCC.
“Let me say that a mere letter from EFCC asking them to freeze an account without any court order is illegal.
Let the banks understand the law clearly.
“As we speak, there’s no court order restricting the accounts.
It’s unjust for the EFCC and the banks to restrict the accounts of her relatives just like that for two years.
For how long will this continue?” Arrest warrant option But EFCC’s repeated failure to appear and present its own side of the story prompted a member of the panel, Kingsley Chinda to move a motion that a warrant of arrest be issued against the commission’s chairman.
“Last time, I applied that a bench warrant be issued against the chairman of EFCC.
We asked them to come on several occasions but there’s no even a response from them.
“Th is country is ruled by law, and they must operate within the law.
Mr Chairman, I’ll apply again that we issue a bench warrant against the EFCC chairman.
If EFCC feels that they’re above the law, they’re not.
“If they had appeared, the House would have been done with this matter,” Chinda said and moved a motion to that eff ect, and same seconded by another member, Rudolf Brown, to which the committee Chairman, Uzor Nkem-Abonta ruled in favour, after no member objected.
With the latest development, Magu is therefore expected to appear before the committee on November 7, when the committee has fi xed to determine the case, and report to the House, either by volition or compulsion.
Why we won’t extradite Diezani from UK – FG
INEC detects 3,000 multiple registrations in Taraba
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday that its Automated Fingerprint Identification Software (AFIS) detected 3,000 persons found to have engaged in multiple registrations in Taraba.
Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Muhammed Madagali, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Jalingo.
Madagali said about 150,000 multiple registrations had so far been fetched out of By Joy Emmanuel Yenagoa Residents of Bayelsa state are in fear following a break of a deadly and strange viral epidemic known as monkeypox.
Monkeypox, according to the World Health Organisation, is a rare disease commonly found in remote parts of Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.
Th e virus, explains WHO, “ can cause a fatal illness in humans and, although it is similar to human smallpox which has been eradicated, it is much milder.
” Findings revealed that a medical doctor and 10 others who carried the disease to the state were being quarantined in an isolation centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.
Th e isolation centre , it was also gathered, was created by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and the epidemiological team of the state’s Ministry of Health, to control further spread of the virus.
Both the agency and the team are currently tracking 49 other persons believed to have come in contact with the infected persons.
Speaking on the development, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof.
Ebitimitula Etebu, said samples of the virus had been sent to the WHO laboratory in Dakar, Senegal, for confi rmation.
He said: “Recently in Bayelsa state, we noticed a suspected outbreak of monkeypox.
It has not been confi rmed.
We have sent samples to the World Health Organisation’s reference laboratory in Dakar, Senegal.
”When that comes out, we will be sure that it is confi rmed.
But from all indications, it points towards it.
”As the name implies, the virus was fi rst seen in monkey, but can also be found in all bush animals such as rats, squirrels and antelopes.
”Th e source is usually all animals.
It was fi rst seen in monkeys and that is why it is called monkeypox.
But every bush animals such as rats, squirrels, and antelopes are involved.
“So, the secretions from particularly dead animals are highly contagious.
” He described monkeypox as a viral illness caused by a group of viruses that include chicken pox and smallpox, adding that the fi rst case was noticed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and subsequent outbreaks in West African region.
the register across the country through the software.
He warned the electoral officers and other stakeholders against underage and multiple registrations.
“Anybody found guilty of multiple registrations will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
Madagali said the commission was committed to registering every eligible voter in the state, in respective of religious or ethnic affiliation.
Contributing, Ben Ubeh, the Taraba Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, called on the electoral umpire to be transparent, and ensure equity and fairness in its dealings.
He said this was necessary to get the confidence of the people.
Ubeh said that voter’s registration process was as important as the election.
(NAN)
