ABUJA/Nigeria: The standoff between the Minister of state for Petroleum Ibe Kachikwu and the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru has taken another dimension as the senate has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to probe the allegations made by the minister against the GMD. In an earlier petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, the minister Kachikwu accused Baru of taking important decisions without him and the NNPC board and also of insubordination and awarding contracts without due process.
On Wednesday, the senate while considering a motion on “allegations of corruption against NNPC trading: time to conduct an investigation” resolved to probe the allegations after Kabir Marafa drew the attention of the lawmakers to them. Also, Senator Samuel Anyanwu who represent Imo east, while moving the motion said Baru allocated almost all products to Duke Oil, this is in addition to its automatic inclusion in the lifting of crude oil, gas, etc which made Duke Oil a money spinning outfit accountable only to NNPC.
The senator said “Duke Oil as the sole importer of AGO has slowed down the growth of the country’s indigenous companies”. The general lack of transparency and level playing field in favour of Duke Oil to lift products without payments as against its competitors in the sector. These have combined to make Duke Oil the highest money earner and at the same time, the highest money wasters because of the massive corruption in the way and manner they transact business”. He also said that Duke Oil lacked the credentials to trade internationally and its relationship with the NNPC has stifled the ‘growth of indigenous companies operating in the sector.
Aliyu Wamakko, Senator representing Sokoto North is the Chairman of the Ad hoc committee in charge of investigating these allegations.
