By Abbanobi-Eku Onyeka
The Senate, through its Committee on Public Accounts, has rejected the records of Premium Motor Spirit importation presented by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority for 2022 and 2023.
The committee faulted the figures on account of wide disparities between NMDPRA’s submission and that of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited as captured in the NEITI audit.
It has therefore resolved to summon the Chief Executives of NMDPRA, NNPCL and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative for possible reconciliation of the records.
The controversy over PMS import volumes emerged during consideration of queries raised against NMDPRA in the NEITI Oil and Gas Industry Audit Report for 2021 to 2023.
Appearing before the committee, the Authority Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, represented by Deputy Director, Mrs. Uzoamaka Ugwu-Ojobe, defended the agency’s records.
According to her, NMDPRA recorded 3.29 billion litres of PMS imported in 2022 and 6.02 billion litres in 2023, against NNPCL’s figures of 6.27 billion litres in 2022 and 3.88 billion litres in 2023.
She maintained that the agency stands by its figures and described the differences as slight disparities being looked into for reconciliation.
Members of the committee, however, dismissed the explanation, with Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) declaring that a disparity of over 50 per cent cannot be described as slight.
Senators Dayo Faduyile (Ondo South) and Anietan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East) also expressed concern, saying the conflicting figures suggest sharp practices and a deliberate attempt to shortchange Nigerians.
Consequently, the Committee Chairman, Senator Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe North), rejected the NMDPRA defence and announced that the committee would summon the heads of NMDPRA, NNPCL and NEITI to explain the wide disparities in the national interest.
