Senators Want NNPC Investigated, Barkindo Out

PHOTO: GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, NNPC, DR. MOHAMMED BARKINDO.

ABUJA March 28, (THEWILL) - 13 Senators including principal officers of the Senate have already signed in favour of a motion seeking to compel the Senate to order a full scale probe into the books of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The lawmakers also want the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mohammed Barkindo to proceed on casual leave to allow unhindered investigation of the corporation.

The motion is already listed for debate on Tuesday.

This move is not unconnected with alleged shady deals by some operators in the oil and gas industry.

The motion is coming on the backdrop of the refusal of the GMD to furnish the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) certain documents on the revenue and expenditure profile of the corporation.

The GMD, the committee said had refused to furnish it with the report on quarterly basis as provided by the law.

The senators led by Senator Lee Ameba (Rivers south east), chairman of the committee wants the Senate to give the committee the legislative mandate under section 88 of the 1999 constitution to institute a system wide inquest into the financial activities of the corporation from January to September 2009.

The lawmakers want the committee to investigate the profile of all revenues from all sources accruing to and paid to NNPC including all income statements within the period under review.

The senators want the Senate to allow an investigation into all records of crude oil sales and remittances into the Federation Account or other accounts within the period.

They also want investigation into all contracts and project approvals by the board of the NNPC including Joint Venture contracts as well as all bank lodgments including lodgments into stakeholders’ accounts and the Central Bank of Nigeria for the period.

Investigation is also sought on all monies paid the corporation as well as all internal approvals and intra corporation expenditure and audited accounts of the corporation for the period.

Section 88 of the constitution empowers the Senate to order a probe into any matter or thing for which it has powers to make laws.

Maeba in the motion listed for debate on Tuesday said the committee had written to the GMD on several occasions requesting him to furnish it with the documents but observed that he did not respond to any of the correspondences.

Senators who have already signed in support of the motion include the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, Deputy Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and Minority Leader, Senator Maina Ma’aji Lawan.

Others are Senators Kabiru Gaya, Festus Bode Ola, Isiaka Adeleke, Adeleke Mamora, Sidi Ali, Nimi Barigha-Amange, Annie Okonkwo and Simeon Ajibola.

The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has often been criticized for awarding various shady contracts in the oil and gas sector.