Subsidy Probe: House Committee Demands Detailed Contract Agreement Between NNPC, Oil Companies

• Tasks FG on emergency programmes to avert food shortages 

•Seeks inclusion of Anambra, Enugu in ongoing agricultural growth scheme

• Steps down bill to regulate NGOs, CSOs 

•HIV/AIDS: House to probe late, non-disbursement of impact project fund

Udora Orizu and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee probing the subsidy regime from 2017 to 2022 has urged all companies that signed agreement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) on the Direct Sale, Direct Purchase (DSDP) of crude oil to refine the product to submit all relevant and detailed documents to its committee tomorrow.

The Chairman of the House ad-hoc, Mr. Al-Mustapha Aliyu stated this during a public hearing yesterday.

Aliyu, also directed the companies to provide their profiles with the Corporate Affairs Commission before the House ad-hoc committee to ascertain if they truly merited the contract deal or not.

The public hearing which was almost stalled due to the representation of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Mocol Oil and Gas, Sahara Business Development, Matrix Energy, A.A. Rano amongst other companies involved as against the earlier directives that they should appear in person, later continued as the companies representatives took turns to respond to questions fielded by members of the committee.

Appearing first before the committee was Sahara Business Development who was represented by Stephanie Useni.

Useni said Sahara Business Development were not involved in oil subsidy with the federal government.

Members of the committee to this regard frowned at Sahara Business Development for submitting only 2016 document on contract signed with NNPC instead of other contract agreement signed from 2017 to 2021.

Representing Mocol Oil and Gas at the hearing, its Director of Operations, Hauwa Alfa after reeling out the list of documents the ad-hoc committee had requested from companies involved in the probe said the company has never defaulted on the agreement arrangement with NNPC.

On his part, Director of Operations, A.A Rano, Sabiu Saidu who represented the company explained that A.A Rano, NNPC and Trafigura international company signed Direct Sale, Direct Purchase(DSDP) contract agreement from 2017 to 2020.

Also, the House of Representatives at yesterday’s plenary urged the Presidency and the Ministry of Agriculture to begin to make arrangements and put in place emergency programmes to mitigate the emerging food challenges.

The House mandated its Committee on Agriculture and other relevant committees to interface with the appropriate ministries and agencies as well as the International Development Partners to begin the process of establishing and implementing protocols to manage food resources and avert the food crisis.

The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Rimamnde Shawulu and Hon Solomon Bob.

Moving the motion, Shawulu noted that the world generally is apprehensive of an impending massive shortage of food and possible famine.

He also noted that next to petroleum products, Nigeria’s highest import bill was food, which he said was becoming costlier around the world.

In a related development, the lawmakers at the plenary, while adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Vincent Ofumelu Hon. Chinedu Obidigwe,Hon. Simon Atigwe and Hon. Dennis Amadi called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to include Anambra and Enugu States in the ongoing National Agricultural Growth Scheme (NAGS) Under ATASP-l.

Additionally, the House of Representatives at plenary yesterday stepped down a bill seeking to regulate activities of non-governmental organisations and civil society groups.

Similar bills which were introduced in the 8th and this current 9th Assembly were greeted with criticisms and condemnations.

The new bill, titled, “Bill for an Act to Establish Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations Agency for the Promotion of Social Development activities in Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB. 2044),” sponsored by Hon. Sada Soli, was presented for second reading.

Raising a point of order, the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Peter Akpatason suggested that the bill should be stepped down and represented at a later date so that members would have time to go through the draft and make contributions.

Corroborating, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu said, “I think we need its general principle of the bill. It should be discussed. It should be discussed from a position of knowledge. It is important that our colleague make the copies available to members so that don’t appear to be making laws ignorantly. I think should be withdrawn and step down to be presented another day.”

The lawmakers passed through second reading, a bill seeking to introduce anti- Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) teachings into the academic curricula of all Nigerian Secondary schools as a novel, wide-reaching, cost-effective and sustainable way of tackling SGBV cases and its related offences.

The proposed legislation tilted, “Bill for an Act to Introduce Preventive Measures and Teachings of Sexual Gender-based Violence into the Curriculum as a Compulsory Subject (Civic Education) for all Secondary Schools in Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB. 1937),” was sponsored by Hon. Julius Ihonvbere.

Similarly, the House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control, Healthcare Services and Health Institutions to investigate the late/non-disbursement of the IMPACT Project funds, its alleged underperformance and down rating of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) by the Office of the Inspector General of the Global Fund and the procurement and distribution of nonapproved mosquito nets across the country and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.

The lawmakers also invited the leadership of the National Malaria Programme to explain by defective mosquito nets are still being procured, imported and distrusted in Nigeria against World Health Organisation Standards and Local Content directives from the House.

Consequently, the house has also urged the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Malaria Program, and other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to comply with the resolution to prioritise local content when procuring Malaria Commodities using funds from the IMPACT Projects facility.