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By David Odama
Senate, through its Committee on Public Accounts, on Tuesday vowed that the replies of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL to the 19 queries raised against it in the audit reports of 2017 to 2023 would be critically examined.
The committee had on July 29 this year, gave the Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Engr. Bayo Ojulari three weeks to respond to the 19 queries on N210trillion yet to be accounted for, in the audited account of national oil company.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa West), while responding to questions from journalists at the close of plenary on whether the NNPCL had responded to the queries or not, said “yes”, but explained that the responses were yet to be critically looked into.
He said: “While we were on recess, the management of NNPCL wrote to the committee, requesting an extension of time to enable them compile data and respond comprehensively to the questions we raised — and we granted that request.
“They have since responded, and we now have answers to all the 19 questions we sent to them.
“However, the report is yet to be presented before the committee. That is why, as chairman, I have refrained from making any public statement on the matter until it is properly laid before members.
“But let me assure you, as I promised earlier on behalf of the committee, we will do justice to the matter.”
Senator Wadada added that beyond the audited financial statements, there are other issues emerging around the NNPCL.
According to him, the first of such issues is production sharing contracts — specifically, the production cost to Nigeria which must be clearly defined, and the public deserves to know what portion goes to the NNPCL, what goes to the international oil companies, IOCs, and what accrues to the government under the production sharing arrangement.
“Furthermore, the committee has been informed that NNPCL Retail has declared a loss.
“This development is also of concern to us and to the public. We find it difficult to understand why NNPCL Retail should record a loss, but we will seek clarification when the corporation appears before us.
“As far as the audited financial statements are concerned — which cover the period between 2017 and 2023 — NNPCL has submitted its responses to the 19 questions we asked. Nigerians and the media will be informed of the contents in due course.
“Out of those answers, the ones that make sense and those that do not will be evident to the public,” he stressed .
