NNPC Probe: Reps Decry Absence of Ministers
Members of the Joint Committee on Finance, Petroleum Upstream, Petroleum Downstream and Gas Resources have decried the absence of some federal ministers at the public hearing which is expected to probe the non remittance of 450billion naira by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into the federation account.
The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin who briefed the gathering said the public hearing has been shifted to Tuesday 1st November 2011 to allow for all key players, to be present at the hearing.
Those that were conspicuously missing from the public hearing include the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Also absent were the Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauro.
The late arrival of submissions of parties joined in the probe also impeded the take off of the public hearing as the lawmakers would need time to take a detailed look into their submission as to guide them in their duty.
Even though the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Austen Oniwon was present; the lawmakers were still not favorably disposed to start the public hearing. The members of the joint committee thereafter dissolved into an executive session.
In another development, Hon. Peace Nnaji representing Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency has moved a motion in the House calling on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to extend the deadline for registration of subscriber’s identification module (SIM) and internet modem SIM cards to accommodate all claims and objections by subscribers and to effect corrections.
The lawmaker in moving the motion said she is aware that the telecommunication operators and the Nigerian communications commission introduced variety of promotions and deployed registration agents on door-to-door registration in their efforts to register all subscribers for the purpose of building national identity management database.
The importance of the exercise according to her is to curb the menace of the rampant abuse of telecommunications and to mitigate the current security challenges perpetrated through the use of mobile phones especially in the present day scourge of kidnappings, and duping of innocent persons.
She is worried that after registration there is no instant acknowledgement that the subscriber’s was successful or not and that the text messages the subscribers receive on SIM registration status are often conflicting as often times the subscribers are warned even after registration that they never registered and should go and register.
Hon. Peace Nnaji said such conflicting directive is capable of confusing the subscribers who may go for multiple registrations against the directive of Nigerian Communication Commission. So she is of the opinion that the network providers and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) should send concrete proof through short message service (sms) to all subscribers to signify the success or otherwise of their registration.
She also wants the Nigerian Communications Commission to publish the names and data of such successful subscribers at their various registration units for the subscribers to make their claims and objections on information concerning them.
The lawmaker is also of the view that the Nigerian Communication Commission should further enlighten the subscribers on the need to ensure that their biometrics and other relevant information are captured before enforcing punishment on defaulters.
