Reps begin probe of NNPC since 1990, members to resume legislative session Tuesday

The House of Representatives will on resumption from the two-month annual vacation commence an investigation into the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from 1990 to date.

The investigative hearing is to be chaired by Hon. Abubakar Fulata, who doubles as the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business.

Expected at the hearing are NNPC Limited’s Group Managing Director, Meme Kyari and heads of various subsidiaries.

Meanwhile, the House leadership has confirmed the resumption for the last lap of the 9th session of the House of Representatives.

The details of the resumption scheduled for Tuesday, September 20, 2022 was confirmed by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr Yahaya Danzaria via a news bulletin made available to Nigerian Tribune.

It reads: “This is to inform all Hon. Members that the House of Representatives will resume plenary as earlier scheduled (Tuesday, 20th September 2022).

“However, due to the ongoing renovation taking place in the old Chamber, Members are expected to resume plenary on the same date (Tuesday, 20th September 2022) at the new improvised Chamber in Room 0.28 New Building with a capacity for 118 seats only.

“This new Chamber is extended by an upper deck provision in Room 231 New Building with capacity for 236 seats.

“The Rooms are connected audio-visually and electronically with large screens.

“Accordingly, there are no designated seats apart from the allocation for Presiding and Principal Officers. Therefore all other sitting arrangements are based on arrivals.

“It is equally important to note that because this is a temporary improvised arrangement no provisions are made for legislative aides due to want of space.”

Danzaria, therefore, enjoined all the Members to contact the Chairman, House Services Committee, Hon. Raji Tasir Olawale or himself for further details.

The House leadership counts on your usual positive cooperation,” Dr Danzaria said.

Recall that the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had during the inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of the House Chambers, last Thursday expressed satisfaction with the work carried out by the contractor handling the improvised chamber.

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He said: “Where we are right now, it will be ready on Tuesday. They have done so far so good, this work started in August. It started a few weeks behind time but for a good reason.

“So far, between August and now, giant strides have been made. You see that the old Chambers have been ripped apart. The innovations are going to be like state-of-the-art. We will at the end of the day be proud to have Chambers that match the best standard all over the world. I’m quite impressed with the work so far.

“I will encourage them to double the pace because as it is, unfortunately, or fortunately, this is not for the benefit of the 9th Assembly it is for the benefit of the 10th Assembly. The old Chambers is not going to be ready until sometime in August 2023 so we are talking about close to year.

“But so far so good, we are happy and this temporary site where we will be sitting for the next 9, 10 months is honestly a far cry from where we used to be but they have done well in adapting, this used to be hearing room to a legislative chamber.

“Adaptation – you made a lot of innovations. We are ready to work. The 10th Assembly most likely (taking off here) unless work can be accelerated but we don’t want to accelerate work and compromise quality of work. So is better late but done well, everything worth doing is worth doing well.

“So, right now they bill to open that place in August. If we are lucky and they are able to move faster and work 24/7 round the clock, may be a month or two earlier in which case the 10th Assembly will come into new Chamber.”

Kehinde Akintola