Senate wants joint investigation with House on importation of adulterated fuel

The Senate on Thursday resolved to convert its ad-hoc committee investigating the importation of adulterated petroleum products to a joint committee involving the two chambers of the National Assembly.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the Senate plenary, announced the decision after a majority of the senators supported it through a voice vote.

Rep members who would be part of the ad-hoc committee would be nominated by the leadership of the House.

The decision was a sequel to a motion sponsored by the chairperson of the committee, Opeyemi Bamidele.

The committee was earlier constituted on 3 July, to unravel the circumstances surrounding the persistent importation of hazardous petroleum products by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

Other members of the committee are Asuquo Ekpeyong (Cross River), Abdullahi Yahaya (Kebbi), Tahir Monguno (Borno), Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun) Diket Plang (Plateau), Abdul Ningi (Bauchi), Khabeeb Mustapha (Jigawa), Ipalibo Banigo (Rivers), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos), Osita Izunaso (Imo), Sahabi Ya’u (Zamfara), Olajide Ipinsagba (Ondo) and Ekong Sampson (Akwa-Ibom).

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the management of the Dangote refinery recently accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of granting licenses to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country. The oil marketers and the regulator, however, denied the allegation.

Such contaminated fuel damages vehicles and is more dangerous to the environment.

Motion

While presenting his motion, Mr Bamidele said the decision was necessary because the House debated the same issue and also constituted a panel on it.

He argued that there was a need to make the panel a joint committee to avoid duplication in recommendations and legislative actions.

He demanded that the committee should be renamed ‘National Assembly joint ad hoc committee to investigate alleged economic sabotage in Nigerian Petroleum Industry.’

Abdul Ningi, the senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, seconded the motion.

The Deputy Senate President, who presided over the plenary, did not put the motion to debate.

He only put the motion to a vote and the majority of the senators supported it.

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Mr Jibrin subsequently approved the motion.

After the approval, Mr Jibrin directed the Clerk of the Senate, Chinedu Akubueze, to communicate the resolution to the House. He said the joint ad-hoc committee will be inaugurated by the presiding officers of both chambers.