By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The Senate has postponed its investigation into the alleged sabotage in the petroleum industry.
The Red Chamber cited the need to engage in more comprehensive consultations with stakeholders whose input and participation will add value to the conclusion of the investigative hearing.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, the Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry, gave the reasons in a statement yesterday.
Bamidele also cited legislative exigencies aimed at further deepening due diligence in conducting the investigative hearing as another reason for postponing it.
The Senate set up the ad-hoc committee to investigate billions spent maintaining the nation’s refineries.
It was also mandated to spotlight regulatory agencies regarding payment to transporters and unravel the alleged importation of hazardous petroleum products and dumping of substandard diesel into the country.
According to the statement, the ad-hoc committee had concluded its pre-investigation undertakings. It held an interactive session with the heads of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) and some private interests in the downstream and midstream petroleum sector.
After the exhaustive engagement with select MDAs and private oil firms, the ad-hoc committee subsequently scheduled its investigative hearing for Tuesday, 10th to Thursday, 12th September 2024
However, in his statement, Bamidele explained that the ad-hoc committee decided to postpone the investigative hearing after due consultation with all its members and key actors in the petroleum industry.
He further noted that the ad hoc committee would communicate a new date for conducting the investigative hearing to all the stakeholders in due course.
Explaining the compelling reasons for the postponement, Bamidele noted that the decision was made in the best interest of the federation and its teeming population.
He further explained that the postponement became imperative considering the compelling need “to consult more widely with expanded stakeholders within and without the petroleum industry and legislative exigencies to deepen further due diligence in the conduct of the investigative hearing. “
He added that the prevailing realities in the country that demanded urgent interventions from nearly all the public and private sectors. Stakeholders across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory informed the resolution for the postponement.
Bamidele said, “While we deeply regret any inconvenience this decision may have caused all the stakeholders collectively or individually, it was taken purely and solely in the national interest.”
He explained that each of these decisions was taken to enable the ad hoc committee to take a holistic approach to the public hearing and find lasting solutions to the challenges confronting the petroleum sector of the economy.
Bamidele, therefore, assured all the stakeholders that a new date for the public hearing would be communicated to them soon.
