…Hints at use of EFCC, ICPC to chase offenders
OpeOluwani Akintayo
03 July 2018, Sweetcrude, Abuja — Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote, has threatened serious sanctions against oil and gas companies operating in the country which fail to remit funds accrued to the government as a result of their operations.
Wabote, who made the threat on Monday at the ongoing 5-day 2018 Nigerian Oil and Gas conference in Abuja, hinted at the use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, to go after offenders and get redress on behalf of the government.
Themed “Driving Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry Towards Sustained Economic Development and Growth”, Wabote said at the event conference that the board will not fail to go after oil and gas companies that engage in “sabotaging” the Nigerian economy.
“We will stand our ground and make sure what belongs to the country in terms of remittances from oil and gas companies, according to the law, are given to us,” he said.
“Any oil company that fails to make necessary remittances is a saboteur and we will go after them with the ICPC and EFCC,” he added.
Wabote stated that although the Nigerian government may not be getting enough remittances in terms of the percentages at the moment, he promised that the board will further push for higher remittances on behalf of the government.
