The House of Representatives, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives has given the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, a 7-day ultimatum to appear before it to respond to 2021 audit queries by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.
The chairman of the Committee, Bamidele Salam, who issued the ultimatum at the committee’s hearing on Monday, in Abuja, directed the NNPCL boss to submit all outstanding documents relating to the audit queries and appear before the panel on December 15.
Salam, at the investigative hearing, read a letter from the company, stating the Ojulari was absent, because of an official engagement at Aso Rock, and expressed displeasure over NNPCL’s persistent failure to honour the committee’s invitations or provide the requested documents despite multiple reminders.
The committee chairman, while addressing the NNPCL, National Assembly Liaison Officer, Umar Faruk, said We have agreed as a committee to give you up till next week Monday, the 15th of December, for a fresh appearance.
“Remember, the committee is very busy; we are dealing with so many issues. If you have been here in the last couple of weeks, you would understand the volume of matters before us.”
The audit queries the NNPCL is expected to respond to include alleged payments to contractors for abandoned projects, failure to deduct statutory taxes, and irregular payments made by the Chief Finance Officer, without the approval of the GCEO.
(The Sun)
