The House of Representatives on Monday summoned management team of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Retail ltd over financial queries issued by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation (oAuGF).
Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Wole Oke issued the directive during the investigative hearing held at the National Assembly complex, Abuja.
While expressing displeasure over the absence of the representatives of the agencies at the investigative hearing despite the adequate time given to them directed the Committee’s Secretariat ensure the presence of the agencies by next week Monday.
In a related development, the Committee also quizzed the Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr William Nwankwo over the alleged “disappearance of two operational vehicles of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in 2015 under mysterious circumstances”.
Hon. Oke observed that the audit query emanated from the 2014/2015 audit report of the Auditor-General of the Federation and issued to the Permanent Secretary.
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While responding to inquiries from the lawmakers, Mr Nwankwo who assumed duties in the ministry in the latter part of 2016, argued that a retired Director, one Mr Paul took away the two vehicles as part of his retirement entitlements.
He added that it is lawful for such senior retirees of the ministry to go with such vehicles upon retirement.
Piqued by the Permanent Secretary’s presentation, members of the committee who were visibly furious, demanded documentary evidence to substantiate his claim.
To this end, Hon. Oke who argued that the Permanent Secretary as the ministry’s accounting officer, was not speaking the truth on the matter.
Obviously not satisfied with the responses from the officer, the Committee mandated him to appear with relevant documents on Monday, 25th November 2019.
Worried by the refusal of the Ministers and Permanent Secretaries of Federal Ministries of Water Resources and Solid Minerals to honour the Committee’s invitations, Hon. Oke directed the Committee Clerk to officially write them and cause their appearances on Monday, 25th November 2019 over the 2015/2016 audit queries.
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