The Senate has issued a strong warning of dismissal and potential jail time for Mele Kyari, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, and other top executives of petroleum subsidiaries.
The threat is in response to the alleged N12 trillion ‘fraud’ related to the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) projects of the country’s refineries. The Senate revealed records of significant expenditures on TAM between 2010 and the present, amounting to over $592 million, €4.8 million, and £3.4 million, with no visible improvement in refinery functionality.
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Senator Isah Jibrin, chairman of the Senate ad-hoc committee overseeing TAM projects, emphasized the need for accountability, declaring intentions to demand refunds and dismiss executives involved in the maintenance projects.
The Senate expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of key executives at an interactive session, warning of potential legal consequences and escalating the matter to higher authorities.
Senate To Find Solutions To Leakages-Senator Isah Jibrin
“We will ask for refund and dismissal of all the chief executives involved in the Turn Around Maintenance,” he declared.
“We sent them invitation more than two weeks ago requesting for documents and the documents have not been released after two weeks. So, we want the chief executives to be present,” he continued.
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“More worrisome is between 2010 and 2020, the sum of N4.8 trillion was said to have been spent as operational expenses.
“How do you incur operational expenses that have to do with purchase of raw materials and similar expenses on factories that are moribund? How do we come about operational expenses? We need to know.
“These are issues that Nigerians want to know; they want solutions to all these leakages. We know they are leakages. Whether you accept it or not they are leakages and they are all forms of compromise within your various establishments.
“We know and we will not hesitate to escalate it to the highest possible level, including possibility of refund and outright dismissal of some of the heads of some of these agencies and possibly go to jail,” the senator added.”
“Senator Yahaya Abdullahi said that NNPCL and management of other agencies, who came to represent their bosses, should be sent back to tell their chief executives that they should appear in person rather than send representatives.”
“Senator Sumaila Kawu said that they know the modus operandi of the civil service, we are not in the Senate for personal functions. We are representing the entire legislators. You in the civil service, we know how you are operating.”
“We are in a very serious business. At the end, you will be at the receiving end. Nigerians are not satisfied with what you are doing and you will be at the receiving end.”
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“We are independent. We can go to any length to defend our people. It is the constitution that established you. So, we must agree how to operate.”
“We will suspend this interaction until when you are ready. We have 100 ways through which we can achieve our legislative work. We just wanted to give you fair hearing and you must respect the constitution,” he added.”
