The Senate Committee on Local Content has ordered the Group General Manager of National Petroleum Investment and Management Service, (NAPIMS), Roland Ewubare, to appear before it the next 24 hours or risk being forced to do so.
Giving the order at the sitting of the committee investigating the huge variations associated with the $16 billion Egina Deep Sea Oil Project, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Solomon Adeola, said it is becoming a tradition in NNPC and its associated subsidiaries to treat National Assembly invitations with levity with flimsy excuses.
He stressed that the Senate Committee will henceforth not deal with “Lieutenants of agencies without their heads or cogent reasons in advance”.
NAPIMS has sent three General Managers as representatives to the committee after it received an invitation three weeks ago for appearance of the Group General Manager to throw light on submissions made by Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited handling the Egina project.
On his part, Vice Chairman of the committee and Minority Leader of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said the importance attached to the information likely to be provided led committee members to turn out in large numbers.
He pointed out that it is insulting not only to the Nigerian Constitution but for the GGM to disregard the Senate invitation on issues relating to how Nigerians are being shortchanged by foreign companies and their local collaborators.
Also contributing, Senate Spokesman Sabi Abdulahi, a member of the committee, said Senate is angry that after 21 days notice the GGM refused to appear, adding that “NAPIMS is in charge of a very critical sector of our economy and should be ready to answer the call of the Senate in its efforts to support Federal Government in delivering the dividend of democracy”.
Other senators present at the meeting are Senators Gershom Bassey, Stella Oduah, Biodun Olujim, Ali Wakili, Babatunde Alasoadura, Abdulahi Gumel and Isah Missau.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
