TheNewsGuru

Tag: Probe

  • Leadership tussles: Probe Nwabunwanne, stakeholders tell Soludo

    Leadership tussles: Probe Nwabunwanne, stakeholders tell Soludo

     

    In recent times, communal crises bothering on Igweship and town union leadership tussles have been rocking various communities in Anambra State.

    Some of these included, Ifite-Dunu, Nawfia, Ideani, Azia, Abacha, Oba, Ojoto and many others.

    The most notorious is the alleged persistent recognition of and public fraternity by some notable officials of the State government led by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Mr Tony Collins Nwabunwanne with the court dethroned traditional ruler of Alor community, Idemili South Council of the State, -Chief Mac-Anthony Elibe Okonkwo.

    This is currently rocking the peace and cohesion in the area.

    Consequently, Gov Chukwuma Soludo has been called by citizens to investigate and probe the Commissioner as he was accused of having a hand in most of these crises.

    He was also alleged to being key participant in their instigating, dating back to when he was an aide to former Gov. Willie Obiano on Chieftaincy and Community Affairs. Hence was presently seen as working at variance with the progress of the State and against the public interest.

    The immediate past President General of Alor People’s Convention, Chief Uzoma Igbonwa while responding to a question from journalists on the tense atmosphere in the hitherto peaceful Alor community pointed out that Mac Anthony Okonkwo was formally dethroned vide an Anambra High court judgment of Feb 17, 2022. His motion for stay of execution was declined by the High Court, but surprisingly, he has continued to parade himself/passing off as, dressing as and presenting himself as a traditional ruler of Alor both in private and in public. He refused to heed to the subsisting court judgment that dethroned him and the State Attorney-General’s recent advice and legal opinion notwithstanding. However, it was doubtful if the initial certificate of Recognition issued to him has been formally withdrawn, little wonder he was going around town parading as a monarch.

    It would be recalled that Alor is the country home of the former governor of the State and immediate past Minister of Labour/Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.

    This unwholesome situations, Igbonwa stated, “has elicited tension, confusion, agitations, and restiveness in the community, especially among the youths.

    According to the February 17, 2022 court judgment, Okonkwo was ordered to desist thenceforth from parading or presenting himself as a traditional ruler anywhere at all.

    It was on the strength of this court verdict and the absence of any other impediment that the community had in 2022 elected and enthroned HRM Igwe Collins Ebelechukwu Chukwumesili as Ezediohamma 111of Alor, Igbonwa added.

    Instructively, he pointed out that, “Igwe Chukwumesili was chosen from Uruezeana village in Ifite Section, the rightful and appropriate area whose turn it was to present the new Igwe, as was copiously outlined in the operational Constitution of Alor and consistent with the judgment of the High Court.”

    Chief Mac-Anthony Okonkwo’s surprising illegitimate and unfortunate emergence had remained tenuous and troubled because he hail from the last and youngest Umuokwu Village of Ifite Section of Alor. It was actually a journey to nowhere which had brought nothing apart from darkness, gloom and crises to Alor since he bulldozed his way and fouled the Chieftancy selection arena, when he knows that his Umuokwu village was not in reckoning as far as the Alor Igweship stool was concerned presently, until it gets to her turn in many generations to come.

    When contacted, one of the old and experienced Ichies, Ichie Ifeanyi Obiazi (Ichie Idee 111 of Alor) bemoaned “the ugly situation Okonkwo had brought upon a once sure-footed progressive Alor community.”

    Referring our Correspondent to copy of the verdict of court that removed him, Ichie Obiazi expressed shock that he was still clinging to his traditional rulership claim and illusion.

    Throwing more light to the conundrum, Ichie Obiazi rhetorically asked, have you ever seen it anywhere in global history where anyone mounted the throne while his father is alive. Would he be breaking kola nut for and or in the presence of his own father, as the traditional ruler? That will be opprobrious.

    Mac Anthony Okonkwo’s father is very much alive and strong. It’s even under his father’s roof that his son, Mac-Anthony, is still living and carrying on as “Igwe” while the folly lasted.

    In all these community crises, our investigations disclosed that it’s people of Nwabunwanne’s ilk that provided the offensive manure that nourishes such festering malady all over the state.

    However, apparently reacting to the legal counsel of the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Okonkwo, through one Emeka Ikegwuogu as his spokesman, at a press conference in Awka at the weekend insisted that he “remains the authentic traditional ruler of Alor”.

    More so, in a letter to the immediate past President General of Alor(Igbonwa), dated August 22,2023, the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had cautioned Okonkwo and those prodding him on to be guided by the court verdict in Suit HID/354/2019, save and until contrary is established. “In the interim, Mac-Anthony Chinedu Elibe Okonkwo is not the Igwe of Alor, and he must stop disturbing the peace of Alor community with his childish behaviour. No reasonable Alor man or woman pays Mac-Anthony any attention. For him, Alor Igweship stool is a business venture and he must not rule Alor people by force”.

    The State’s Chief law officer also pointed out that, “Having been satisfied that the judgment and orders delivered in the suit are the extant and subsisting orders of the court between the parties and on the same subject matter, save and until the contrary is established, Mr Mac Anthony Chinedu Okonkwo should not conduct or superintendent over the new yam festival scheduled on Saturday, August 5, 2023 in the purported capacity of traditional ruler of Alor town is unlawful and against the public peace of the town, therefore he is restrained from doing so to avoid total breakdown of law and order in the community.”

    It needs highlighting here too that Alor community cannot in anyway be seen as inconsequential, having produced a State Governor, Senator, Ministers, incumbent Clerk of the Senate, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Judges, Magistrates, and top business moguls in different areas of discipline, members of the State Assembly and different top government appointees at the Federal and State levels.

    Prof. Elo Onyeka, a respectable indigene of Alor, wondered why none of the distinguished well-read citizens was in the motley crowd of Okonkwo’s praise singing press conference.

    While blaming these communal crises on Nwabunwanne who was alleged to be sitting on most official letters concerning these communities and Chieftancy issues, Chief Max Oruche from Ifite-Dunu community accused Mr. Nwabunwanne of being too young, inexperienced and immature for the office he occupies, and evidently not sound in the general customs and tradition of most communities in the State and/or working against Gov. Soludo’s vision for democracy to thrive in Anambra communities.

    Nwabunwanne in reaction to the leadership/rulership crises ravaging the State, especially as he was accused of instigating some blamed those who never liked his rising profile and face. But vowed to overcome all their antics and come out without any blemish.

    Records revealed that while trying to paper the heavily cracked walls of the traditional rulership/community leadership mess he allegedly actively participated in during the immediate past administration of Chief Willie Obiano, -Nwabunwanne was visibly attacking Soludo’s efforts and the hope for reelection later 2024, as he is creating enemies for Gov. Soludo.

    This should be a wake up call for the governor to x-ray Nwabunwanne’s activities and some other officials who have become heavy baggage to the administration.

  • Vwaire Diaso: Oborevwori condoles family, NMA, calls for probe

    Vwaire Diaso: Oborevwori condoles family, NMA, calls for probe

    Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has sent his heart-felt condolences to the Diaso family and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on the tragic and unfortunate passing of Dr Vwaire Diaso in Lagos.

    Diaso, a medical doctor and native of Ewu Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, died at the General Hospital, Lagos Island, when the elevator she used crashed from the 9th floor to the ground floor.

    In a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, in Asaba, Governor Oborevwori said that the tragic incident was avoidable if those saddled with the management of the hospital facilities were on top of their duty.

    He urged the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the young and promising Dr Diaso with a view to avoiding future reoccurrence.

    “On behalf of the Government and people of Delta, I commiserate with the family of Kennedy Diaso of Ewu Kingdom, the Urhobo nation, friends and colleagues of the deceased on the tragic death of their promising daughter, Vwaire.

    “This incident is tragic, painful, grievous and a great loss not just to the family but to the entire nation and humanity.

    “While we mourn her unfortunate and avoidable death, the hospital management failed in their duty to maintain facilities at the hospital which caused her untimely death.

    “I therefore call on the Lagos State Government and Police authorities to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident with a view to avoiding future reoccurrence.

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues in this difficult time, even as we pray the good Lord Almighty to accept her soul and grant her eternal rest,” Oborevwori said.

  • Reps to probe NPA, NIMASA, others over auctioning of govt properties

    Reps to probe NPA, NIMASA, others over auctioning of govt properties

    The House of Representatives has resolved to probe what it regards as illegal auctioning of Federal Government properties by Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)

    Other agencies allegedly involved are: the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) River Basin Development Authority (RBDA) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)

    This is sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Rep. Oluwole Oke (PDP-Osun) during plenary on Thursday in Abuja.

    In his motion,Oke said the procedure for the disposal and auctioning of government assets in Nigeria were well spelt out in Financial Regulations, 2009 and Public Procurement Act 2007 among others.

    Oke said the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)

    provides that all revenues realised from the disposal or auctioning of public property be remitted into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

    He alleged that NPA, NIMASA, NRC, NCS and others RBDA had been auctioning public property not only at a ridiculous price but also without following due process.

    He advanced that partial remittance or non-remittance of revenue realised from the auctioning of public property into consolidated revenue fund was a breach of the constitution.

    He expressed concerned that if the practice continued, coupled with dwindling crude oil revenue in Nigeria, the government might not cope with the rising demand for accelerated infrastructure

    Following his submission, the House thereafter resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the disposal of public property by the affected agencies.

    This, according to the House, would cover the period between 2010 and 2022 with a view to establishing the extent of alleged illegal auctioning of public property and the non-remittance of revenue realised into consolidated revenue purse.

    The committee would report to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.

  • Gov. Otu begins probe of predecessor’s activities in office

    Gov. Otu begins probe of predecessor’s activities in office

    Gov Bassey Otu of Cross River has begun the probe of the administration of his predecessor in office with the setting up of a committee to dig into concessioned industries and land-related matters.

    The committee is named “Fact Finding Committee On Cross River State Government-owned and Concessioned Industries and Other Landed Properties.”

    The committee, which the governor set up immediately after assumption of office, has come out with a call for memoranda.

    In a statement by its Secretary, Mr Anthony Effiom, the committee called for memorandum from members of the public on the terms of reference.

    The terms of reference include to look into all transactions relating to the concessioning of industries, their valuation, review the adequacy and appropriateness of the legal processes.

    It is also to ensure fair value of assets, competency of concessionaires and determine the adequacy and protection of the state’s interest.

    It will also look into all land related transactions, acquisitions and applications in the public interest for developed and undeveloped lands.

    Simirlarly, the committee is saddled with the responsibility to look into transactions relating to government buildings located in the state and
    outside the state.

    According to the statement, the memoranda are expected to reach the committee on or before Friday.

    It subsequently invited the public and the concession companies to a public sitting from July 10 to 14.

    The concessioned industries included
    British Canadian University, Ogoja Rice Mill, Garment Factory, Ogoja Rice Mill, Obudu German Hospital, Ikom Chocolate Factory, Transcorp Hotel, and Calachika.

    For the landed property, there is the Water Board Land, Ministry of Works Land Calabar, Hope Waddell Land, St. Stephen Primary School Obudu Land, Ministry Of Agriculture Obudu Land, Nitel Land Obudu, Okambi-Abonkib-Ikwom-Ikwu-Igwo Lands in Obudu, and the Land Opposite UJ Esuene Stadium acquired for Indigo Hotel.

    The buildings are Cross River House, Abuja, Cross River Government House, State Housing, Calabar.

  • Britain’s PM, Rishi Sunak under fire for “not coming out clean”

    Britain’s PM, Rishi Sunak under fire for “not coming out clean”

    British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under investigation after facing allegations of a possible failure to declare the shares his wife holds in a childcare agency that was boosted by the Budget.

    Parliament’s standards watchdog opened the inquiry into the prime minister under rules demanding lawmakers are “open and frank” when declaring their interests.

    The investigation relates to the shares Akshata Murty holds in Koru Kids, a government source told the PA news agency on Monday.

    The government said the prime minister will clarify how it was declared as a ministerial interest, rather than to the Commons.

    As lawmakers returned from their Easter break, an update from Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg showed he had opened the investigation under the Commons code of conduct on Thursday.

    “Members must always be open and frank in declaring any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its committees, and in any communications with ministers, members, public officials or public office holders,” the relevant section reads.

    A government spokeswoman responded: “We are happy to assist the commissioner to clarify how this has been transparently declared as a ministerial interest.”

    Sunak faced demands to “come clean” about his family shares last month after being questioned by lawmakers over why the childcare policy favoured private firms.

    Appearing before the Liaison Committee, he did not mention Ms Murty’s shares in the firm, in which she has been listed as a shareholder on Companies House.

    A fortnight earlier, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a pilot of incentive payments of £600 ($740) for childminders joining the profession.

    Questioning why the sum doubles to £1,200 if workers sign up through an agency, Labour MP Catherine McKinnell asked if Sunak had any interests to declare.

    “No, all my disclosures are declared in the normal way,” Sunak said.

    Koru Kids, which is one of six childminder agencies listed on the Government’s website, welcomed the new incentives in the Budget as “great”.

    At the time the possible conflict of interest emerged, Sunak’s press secretary said the interest would be included in the updated statement of ministers’ interests, due out in May.

    But it seems Greenberg’s investigation appears to centre on whether the prime minister should have declared the interest to lawmakers.

    Sunak wrote to the Liaison Committee earlier this month to say he would like to “clarify for the Parliamentary record that this interest has rightly been declared to the Cabinet Office”.

    He said the new list of ministerial interests, which has not been updated for nearly a year, would be published “shortly”.

    Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said delay has “left a transparency black hole which is enabling the Prime Minister and those he has appointed to dodge proper scrutiny of their affairs”.

    “If Rishi Sunak has got nothing to hide, he should commit to publishing the register before May’s elections so the public can see for themselves,” she added.

    It was last compiled by Lord Geidt, who resigned as former prime minister Boris Johnson’s ethics adviser after a tumultuous period under the then-prime minister.

    Sunak did not appoint a successor as ministerial interests adviser until December, when Sir Laurie Magnus took on the role.

    The prime minister entered government in October promising “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level”.

    He has since been fined by police for not wearing a seatbelt, adding to the fixed-penalty notice he was handed for a lockdown breach alongside Mr Johnson.

    Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said: “Another day and another accusation of a Conservative Prime Minister bending the rules.

    “After months of Conservative sleaze and scandal, the public just want a government which is focused on the country, rather than saving their own skin”.

  • $2.4bn oil revenue probe not witch-hunting, says Gbajabiamila

    $2.4bn oil revenue probe not witch-hunting, says Gbajabiamila

    The 2.4 billion dollars revenue probe over the alleged illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil export from  2014-2015 is not a witchhunt, says Mr Femi Gbajabiamila,  Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    Gbajabiamila made the clarification at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja, during the House of Reps Ad Hoc Committee probe of the alleged sales.

    According to him, the exercise is a constitutional responsibility, within the legislative powers of the house as enshrined in sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.

    He said in the light of dwindling revenue accruing to Nigeria from crude oil sales, it was alarming to learn, from a whistleblower, of allegations that over 2.4 billion dollars in possible revenue for the country was lost.

    This, according to him, is from the sale of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s crude oil cargoes in China.

    Gbajabiamila said Nigeria’s revenue-to-GDP ratio was below five per cent, which was rated among the five lowest countries in the world.

    He said it was reported that about 700 million dollars worth of crude oil was lost to oil theft monthly in Nigeria, adding that between January and July 2022 alone, the country lost 10 billion dollars to the crime.

    The speaker said the recommendation of the ad hoc committee would guide the house in making an informed decision in considering the Whistleblower Bill currently before it.

    “Let me state emphatically, that whistle-blowers that volunteer information to this house will receive the maximum legislative protection and confidentiality.”

    The committee in its ruling, however, summoned the Minister of Finance, Attorney General of the Federation, Accountant General of the Federation among others, to appear before it.

    Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Rep. Mark Gbillah, said the committee was looking at the issues that had to do with allegations of 48 million crude oil barrels sold in China.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that the minister of finance and the attorney general of the federation are not here.

    “This is a formal request from the committee that the minister and others should appear before this committee because they have received formal invitation to do so.”

    According to Gbillah, there are responses received from the accountant general’s office that show that the minister of finance has been approving payments to whistleblowers in percentages at variance with the policy.

    “There have been allegations of the AGF being involved also in receiving funds from outside the country without these funds being remitted into the federation account in line with the provisions of the constitution.

    “There are allegations that expenditure of these recoveries have also been done in complete violation of the provisions of the constitution,” Gbillah said.

    Those who appeared before the committee included the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Oriental Energy, and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    Mr. Johnson Agboneonayima, Federal Commissioner (CCB) in Charge of Monitoring, however, said he had in 2015 when he was a member of the eighth assembly, raised a motion on the volume of theft of the nation’s crude oil.

    He alleged that some cabal had derailed the wheel of the progress of the country through massive theft of the nation’s crude oil.

  • How president Buhari stopped EFCC from probing me – Osinbajo

    How president Buhari stopped EFCC from probing me – Osinbajo

    Nigeria’s  Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo has revealed that the country’s president, Muhammadu Buhari prevented the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating fraud allegations against him when he personally applied for it.

    Recall that the house of representatives ad hoc committee on emergency and disaster preparedness in 2018 indicted the governing board of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    Osinbajo was accused of illegally approving N5.8 billion north-east intervention fund while serving as the chairman of the board.

    Similarly,  the vice president was alleged to have collected N4 billion from Ibrahim Magu, former acting chairman of the EFCC in 2020.

    However, Osinbajo described the claims as “baseless” and asked the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to investigate the allegation.

    Speaking on Friday at a private dinner to celebrate Buhari’s 80th birthday, Osinbajo said: “One day, I went to him because there were some allegations that were made against me.

    “I went to him to show him the letter I’d written to the EFCC to investigate.

    “This time he said, ‘VP, why do you worry about all these people? These people just make all sorts of allegations, they make all sorts of stories up, even they are saying that I am about to get married again. And even some foolish people were waiting at the National Mosque, waiting for me to come and marry again,” Osinbajo said.

  • NSITF clarifies investigation into misappropriation of N17.158bn

    NSITF clarifies investigation into misappropriation of N17.158bn

    The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) says the 2018 Audit Report by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation over misappropriation has nothing to do with the current management of the fund.

    Mrs Ijeoma Okoronkwo, General Manager, NSITF’s Corporate Affairs, said this in a statement made available in Abuja.

    Okoronkwo said that the clarification had become necessary to forestall further wrong finger-pointing and mischief directed at the current management.

    According to her, the report which raised 50 queries on misappropriation of N17.158bn had nothing to do with the current management, which came into office on June 1, 2021.

    She said that the probe by the Senate  Committee on Public Accounts was in the exercise of its statutory oversight functions.

    “It is important to inform the general public that what is under investigation, are not new infractions but a cumulative financial violations under the management that ran the agency between 2012 and 2017.

    “These infractions are not new. They have in fact been subject of probe since the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation first raised the red flag in 2015.

    “We make it clear therefore that the negative trails of these breaches have nothing to do with the present management beyond assisting the Senate Committee to carry out its oversight functions, ’’ she said.

    Okoronkwo said on record, the EFCC had probed and taken the former Chairman of the Board and five other senior officials, including the Managing Director and three Directors to court over some of the issues.

    She further said that huge sums of money, as well as property, were also recovered, while some of the indicted staff members were equally removed from the office.

    “Indeed, the Senate Committee initiated the current probe;  the Managing Director, Dr Michael Akabogu, set up an internal committee to retrieve from First Bank and Skye Bank detailed transactions involving the fund under the period in probe.

    “Documents were subsequently submitted to the Senate Committee and when they called for the vouchers backing up the transactions, Dr Akabogu requested that the former Managing Directors should be invited to provide further answers, ’’ she said.

    Okoronkwo added that the current management was not in possession of the vouchers.

    She informed the committee that the contents of the container in the premises of the fund, where the former Managing Directors allegedly left the vouchers had succumbed to the elements.

    She further said that this would be substantiated from memos, hitherto written by the fund’s General Services Department on the state of the facility in question.

    Okoronkwo therefore, said that the current management of the NSITF had charted a new course with strategic reforms, strongly anchored on transparency and was producing positive results.

  • Lagos Assembly begins probe of LGs, LCDAs accounts

    Lagos Assembly begins probe of LGs, LCDAs accounts

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has begun probing the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) to justify accountability of public funds in the state.

    The Chairman House Committee on Public Accounts (Local), Mr Mojeed Fatai, said this at the commencement of the first phase of the screening in Lagos on Saturday.

    Fatai noted that the probe by the Joint Committee on Public Account (Local) and Committee on Local Government Administration and Community Affairs had begun oversight functions to ensure acceptability.

    “The exercise was to evaluate the 20 Local Government Councils, LGs and 37 LCDAs in the state.

    ”This is the first phase and it is to run till Thursday, with Kosofe LG, Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Yaba LG, Lekki LG, Ibeju-Lekki LCDA, Imota LCDA, Epe LG, Isolo LG, Lagos-Island LCDA, Itire-Ikate LCDA amongst others.

    Fatai said the  exercise was aimed at making sure the funds from Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) allocated to Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas were expended judiciously.

    ”This is as it is contained in the relevant year budget approval and for the purpose of development in the state,” he said.

    Fatai said that the reports of its findings from the Joint Committee after the exercise would be presented at the plenary of the House for debate and for further scrutiny.

    The members present at the exercise included Mr Olawale AbdulSobur, Chairman Committee on Local Govt. Administration and Community Affairs.

    Others were Mr Rotimi Olowo, Mr Hakeem Sokunle, Mr Saka Solaja, Mr Rauf Age-Sulaiman, Mr Kehinde Joseph, Mr Victor Akande, Mrs Mosunmola Sangodara and Mr Fatai Oluwa.

  • FLASH: Reps probe NNPC’s JV, production sharing contracts in last 32 years

    FLASH: Reps probe NNPC’s JV, production sharing contracts in last 32 years

    Just a day after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation transformed into the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the House of Representatives has begun a major probe into its Joint Venture (JV) operations and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), beginning from 1990 till date.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the probe covers a period of 32 years, the objective of which, according to the House, is to ascertain “whether or not the capital expenditure, operations, financials and related frameworks are within the ambit of the law”.

    An ad-hoc committee will execute the assignment within eight weeks as approved by the resolution of the House passed during plenary in Abuja on Thursday. The session was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Ahmed Idris Wase in the absence of the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila.

    Six lawmakers moved the motion that led to the House resolution. They were Rep. Sergius Ogun, Rep. Sada Soli Jibiya, Rep. Isiaka Ibrahim Oyekunle, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, Rep. Ado Sani Kiri and Rep. Mark Gbillah.

    The motion reads, “The House: notes that section 88 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 empowers the National Assembly to conduct investigations into the activities of any authority executing or administering laws made by the National Assembly;

    “Also notes that Escravos Gas-to-Liquid (EGTL) Project is a Joint Venture (JV) undertaking by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Chevron Nigeria Limited for the construction of a 34,000 Barrels Per Day (BPD) of Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) Plant at Escravos, Delta State;

    “Further notes that a total of $1.294 billion was earmarked for the EGTL project in 2001 and by the time the contract was awarded in 2005, the final approved cost rose to $2.941 billion, which was further increased to $8.6 billion as at 31st December 2011, and upon completion in 2014, the total project cost was over $10 billion;

    “Concerned that the ETGL and its JV projects are executed at such huge costs when similar projects in other jurisdictions like Qatar, which have the same capacity, technology, Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contractors and even operators cost less than $1.5 billion;

    “Also concerned that although EGTL projects are governed by the Heads of Agreement (HOA), Carry Agreement (CA) and the Venture Agreement (VA) in line with various legal regimes such as Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), Petroleum Profit Tax Act (PPTA), Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) in principle, there is a breach of the principles involved;

    “Worried that the Bonga field (OML 118), which is owned by the NNPC but contracted to SNEPCO (55%), ExxonMobil (20%), Agip exploration (12.5%), and Total (12.5%) under the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) now seems to be far from being a PSC arrangement as it runs foul to the relevant financial operational laws;

    “Also worried that the Offshore Gas Gathering System (OGGS) which was designed to gather gas from various upstream projects in the Niger Delta region under a PSC and JV arrangement with companies such as SNEPCO, SPDC, NLNG has now become mired in some operational misunderstandings;

    “Disturbed that in the brewing misunderstanding, SPDC and SNEPCO allegedly went into certain gas sales and sharing arrangements without the prior knowledge and/or consent of the Federal Government via the NNPC, which has resulted in certain shortfalls in revenue into the Federation Accounts.”