…As House of Reps summon Kachikwu, Baru over fuel subsidy payment
Oscarline Onwuemenyi
18 January 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Sen. Kabiru Marafa, on Wednesday, told his colleagues that the Federal Government has, so far, paid the sum of N450 billion as subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.
Sen. Marafa lamented the amount paid by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was not approved by the National Assembly as required by law.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari, who doubles as the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources, gave the approval that subsidy be paid on petrol.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has summoned Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, over the payment of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) with approval from the National Assembly.
The duo are expected to appear before the House committees on Finance and Petroleum (Downstream) to explain where they got authorisation to expend over N300 billion on subsidy payment in 2017.
Kachikwu and Baru are also expected to give accounts of how the subsidy payment was made.
This was sequel to a motion moved by Hon. Sunday Karimi at Wednesday’s plenary.
