The House of Representatives has announced plans to inaugurate the Joint Senate/House Ad Hoc Committees on the Petroleum Industry Investigation on September 25, 2024.
The announcement was made in a statement by Akin Rotimi Jr., the Spokesperson for the House, on September 11. It was shared via the lawmakers’ official WhatsApp platform.
This development comes after the dissolution of the previous ad-hoc Joint Committee on Downstream and Midstream on August 27, 2024. That committee had been investigating the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) regarding the importation of adulterated petrol and the shortage of crude oil for local refineries.
A Focus on Meaningful Reforms
Rotimi emphasized that as the 10th Assembly resumes on September 24, 2024, it will continue its legislative agenda, prioritizing impactful reforms, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
“Upon reconvening, the leadership of the House will inaugurate the new board of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) and the Joint Senate/House Ad Hoc Committees on the Petroleum Industry Investigation on Wednesday, September 25, 2024,” Rotimi stated. He also mentioned that further details of the committee’s activities would be shared during plenary on the day of resumption.
He noted that during their recent recess, lawmakers engaged in extensive constituency outreach, addressing issues of concern to their constituents and improving oversight of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
Background and Context
Rotimi highlighted that a new committee will take over the investigation into the importation of adulterated petroleum products, the ongoing crude oil supply challenges for domestic refineries, and other pressing energy security issues.
In July, 118 lawmakers, under the banner “1 AGENDA,” published an advertorial in three national dailies, purportedly in support of the NNPCL during the now-defunct probe. However, some lawmakers whose names appeared in the advertorial have since distanced themselves from the publication.
The previous ad-hoc committee, led by Ikenga Ugochinyere, Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Downstream, had called for the dismissal of Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL. On the other hand, a group of 50 lawmakers, led by Billy Osawaru of Edo State, pushed for Kyari’s retention, arguing that calling for his dismissal during an active investigation was inconsistent with parliamentary procedure.
Allegations Against Dangote Refinery
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) raised concerns about the quality of products from the Dangote Refinery. NMDPRA chief Farouk Ahmed had claimed that diesel produced by Dangote was of inferior quality compared to imported products, alleging that its diesel had a 665 ppm (parts per million) rating.
Ahmed’s statement sparked widespread public outrage, with many accusing him of unfairly criticizing a vital local industry. Dangote Refinery responded by inviting regulators to test their products, confidently asserting that their products were of superior quality to those sold at many Nigerian filling stations.
