House of Reps summons all NNPC subsidiaries

THE House of Representatives Committee on Public Account (PAC), yesterday, summoned all Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) subsidiaries.

This followed the financial queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF).

The decision of the committee was made known by its Chairman, Wole Oke, at an investigative hearing in Abuja, yesterday.

“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, 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 there 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.

Defending the corporation, Ajiya said contrary to what is believed by the lawmakers, the NNPC was not owing, stressing that it was the federal government that owes the corporation.