By Abbanobi – Eku OnyekachiAbuja
Disruptions in Nigeria’s petroleum sector may soon be a thing of the past, as the Senate and House of Representatives will join forces to investigate alleged economic sabotage. Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee, announced this in a personally signed statement on Monday.
Bamidele emphasized the National Assembly’s commitment to addressing challenges in the petroleum industry, citing crude oil theft, endless refinery maintenance, importation of substandard products, and fuel supply disruptions. Contrary to media reports, according to him, the Senate never suspended its investigation but postponed public hearings to address procedural issues.
The Senate and House, he continued, will now collaborate to, unearth economic sabotage, identify roots of disruption in the petroleum industry, develop institutional mechanisms, create efficient and functional systems, constitute a Joint Committee*: Continue investigation where ad-hoc committees left off.
Additionally, both chambers await the executive’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) for budget preparation. The Senate is also reviewing the 1999 Constitution, chaired by Deputy President Senator Barau Jibrin.
According to him, there will be Retreats and Strategy Sessions Committee Meetings to discuss constitutional amendments; Call for Memoranda Invitation for public input on constitutional reforms, adding that there will be Zonal Meetings and Regional discussions on proposed amendments
With a unified approach, be went on, legislators aim to decisively address petroleum sector challenges and redefine public governance in Nigeria.
