Politics

Reps to probe N11.3trn spent on moribund refineries

House of Representatives, on Thursday, resolved to revisit the report of the 9th Assembly on the N11.35 trillion spent by successive administrations on the turnaround maintenance (TAM) of the four moribund refineries.

The resolution was passed sequel to the motion which seeks to conduct fresh investigation on the State of Refineries in Nigeria, sponsored by Hon. Matthew Nwogu.

In the bid to avoid wastage of public funds, resolved to step down fresh investigative hearing, rather resolved to revisit the recommendations of the 9th Assembly’s investigative hearing conducted on the same issue.

Leading debate on the aborted motion, Hon. Nwogu observed that the State-owned refineries–Warri, Kaduna, Alesa-Eleme and Port Harcourt have stopped refining fuel and by-products for local consumption for years.

“The House is aware that successive governments, under the pretext of turn-around maintenance and rehabilitation, invested money in these refineries, and presently, none is producing fuel and other by-products sufficient for local use, resulting in billions of dollars spent on fuel exports.

“The House is also aware that succeeding Ministers of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (NNPCL) executives have pitched several unsuccessful initiatives to revamp or rehabilitate the refineries, and despite huge funding, they remain in a state of comatose.

“The House is concerned that between 2010 to date the government has allocated N11.35 trillion for the renovation of refineries, yet these facilities remain idle.

“The House is worried that the maintenance of refineries may be an economic waste considering that their maintenance has minimal value to the economy, given that the country currently relies on fuel importation.

“The House is disturbed that over the past decade, an estimated N2,266,248,434.00 has been spent on rehabilitating Kaduna Refinery and Petro-chemical Company in Nigeria, but they remain inactive and unproductive, the current situation necessitates an investigation into the contract awards for the rehabilitation of the refineries.”

After the debate, Hon. Moshood Soro informed the House that the subject matter of the motion had been carried out by the 9th House of Representatives and a report was laid so it would be out of order to continue on the subject matter.

Hence, the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas who presided over the session mandated the House Committee on Rules and Business to look at the previous report to see how it can be revisited and incorporated.

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