Reps summon NNPC subsidiaries over auditor general report

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) has summoned all Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) subsidiaries over financial queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF).

The Chairman of the Committee, Wole Oke (PDP-Osun), said this at an investigative hearing on Thursday in Abuja.

“This parliament is a parliament of rules and the Constitution of Nigeria has given us a window to conduct our activities in a manner that is suitable to us.

“When we asked your subsidiaries to cause appearance (appear), it is pursuant to section 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We want to hear from them, we want to extract evidence from them because these are officers that are Chief Executives of those subsidiaries.

“We have queries against NAPINS, yes they report to you, it is our own right in this parliament to determine how we conduct our businesses,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Financial Officer of NNPC, Umar Ajiya, said he was in position to speak for the agencies since they reported to the NNPC.

“I am responsible for the entire financial reporting of the group and so also the Group Managing Director (GMD) with the gentlemen with me here, we can answer any question,’’ he said.

Mr Ajiya said the NNPC ”was not owing rather, the federal government was owing the corporation”.

(NAN)