In a significant development, Senator Adeola Olamilekan, Chairman of the Senate Appropriation Committee, issued a stern directive on Wednesday, compelling Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to appear before the committee within 24 hours.
The directive also included a summons for the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to join Kyari.
Expressing the urgency of their appearance, Olamilekan emphasized the gravity of the situation, warning that failure to comply not only undermines the legislative process but also poses a threat to the integrity of the entire system.
The specific task set for Kyari and the NUPRC Executive Secretary is to present a comprehensive list of all individual companies operating with Oil Mining Leases (OML) licenses in Nigeria.
Additionally, they are required to disclose the total production output approved on a daily basis. These details are crucial for the Senate’s scrutiny, particularly in relation to the 2024 budget.
Senator Olamilekan raised concerns about the allocation of revenues linked to the NNPCL, emphasizing that as a government-owned entity, it is accountable to the Federal Government and, by extension, to all three arms of government.
The appropriation committee is keen on understanding the role of the NNPCL in driving the budget and ensuring transparency in the financial processes.
This development comes in the backdrop of the NNPCL’s repeated refusal to respond to summonses from the Senate.
The entity, which stands at the heart of the Senate’s investigation, has previously ignored invitations to appear before the committee probing the over N11 trillion expenditure on the turn around maintenance of refineries between 2010 and 2023.
The absence of Mele Kyari during the earlier summons had impeded the progress of the Senate panel’s investigation into the substantial expenditure on refinery maintenance.
The committee views the CEO’s non-appearance as a hindrance to obtaining crucial information and insights essential to its fact-finding mission.
As the Senate asserts its authority and demands accountability, the 24-hour ultimatum signals a critical juncture in the ongoing inquiry.
The committee’s insistence on the presence of both Kyari and the NUPRC Executive Secretary underscores the importance attached to transparency and the responsible utilization of public funds, setting the stage for a potentially impactful session that could shape the trajectory of the investigation.
