Dare Babalola
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the over $18 billion reportedly spent on the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna over the past two decades without tangible results.
The probe follows the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan on the non-functionality of state-owned refineries during Thursday plenary.
Whingan expressed concern over the persistent non-performance of the refineries despite years of turnaround maintenance projects and repeated government assurances.
He said the recent admission by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr. Bayo Ojulari, that the refineries remain non-functional despite the huge investments, further raises questions about fiscal discipline and transparency in managing national assets.
“The continued non-functionality of these refineries despite consistent budgetary allocations and rehabilitation contracts represents a gross misuse of public funds and a betrayal of public trust,” Whingan lamented.
He stressed that with the removal of the petrol subsidy, it had become more crucial for Nigeria to have functional refineries to ensure energy security and cushion the economic impact on citizens.
The House has mandated an ad-hoc committee drawn from the Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Public Accounts, Anti-Corruption, Finance, and Legislative Compliance to investigate funds appropriated and disbursed for refinery rehabilitation between 2010 and 2024, ascertain the current operational status of the refineries, evaluate fund utilization and identify potential mismanagement or corruption and recommend measures to safeguard future public investments.
The committee is expected to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
