Fuel subsidy probe: Senate summons Okonjo-Iweala, others

THE Senate has originated a fresh summon on the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mr Austin Oniwon, the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), (whose removal was announced on Tuesday night), in respect of its investigation of government's fuel subsidy regime.Others invited are the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr Reginald Stanley; Managing Director of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) with other three former Executive Secretaries.The former executive secretaries invited are Dr Olusola Oluleye; Mr Abiodun Inikunle and Mr Goddy Egbuji.The Chief Executive Officers of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Mr Ifeanyi Ubah; Managing Director Oando Nigeria Plc, Mr Wale Tinubu and Folawiyo Energy are also to appear.Consequently, the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association (DAPPMA) would also appear.The invitees are to appear before the committee between Monday, July 2 and Tuesday, July 3.This was contained in a statement signed by Senator Magnus Abe, who also chaired the joint Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Appropriation and Finance which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday.The Senate is currently on a week-long retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.Next week's interaction with government officials and private sector operators, according to the committee, is expected to be the last public meeting, thereafter the committee would collate and submit its report to the whole house.The committee had earlier postponed a scheduled meeting of stakeholders in the oil sector due to the Dana plane crash at Iju-Ishaga, Lagos on June 3.The Senate probe emanated from a resolution in November last year based on a motion by Senator Bukola Saraki, who raised the alarm on government's extra-budgetary spending on fuel subsidy in 2011.
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