NNPC SCANDAL: Kachikwu, Baru should step aside, says Senate C’ttee chair

Both the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, and the Group Managing Director, Nigerian have to be suspended, so as not to hinder investigation into the $250 billion contract scandal currently rocking the oil sector.

This was stated by the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) chairman, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who said that President Muhammadu Buhari should without further delay suspend the Petroleum Minister and the NNPC GMD.

Kachikwu had leveled allegations of insubordination and awards of contract of about $250 billion without due process against Baru in a leaked memo sent to Buhari which has continued to dominate national discourse with many citizens of the country calling for the suspension of Baru and probe of NNPC.

Making his contribution on the matter, Alasoadura, who spoke durin a live programme on Channels Television entitled, Sunday Politics, argued that not only Baru, but both officials should be suspended.

“I believe so; especially the man who is doing the day-to-day running of the organisation. In order not to hinder or hamper that investigation, because records will be needed and even from the date of the leakage of that letter, I think action should have been taken to ensure that nothing will be missing when investigations start
“So, I think the two of them should be asked to step aside and when investigation is over, whoever is culpable will go and whoever is not culpable, will continue with his duties,” he said.

Alasoadura further faulted Buhari doubling as both President and Minister of Petroleum and advised him to step down from his ministerial position and appoint a substantive minister who would be able to do the job more efficiently.
“Judging from the many problems plaguing our country today, I believe Mr. President should devote more time to other things and let an independent person run the petroleum resources ministry who will then report to him twice or once a week,” he said.

Alasoadura, who represents Ondo Central senatorial district, revealed that 40 firms that received the $25 billion contracts would be invited by the Senate.

READ ALSO: Resign as oil minister, suspend Baru and authorize full probe, Falana urges Buhari

“We are probing them because we want to get to the root of this matter. If you are doing an investigation, even those who have not been mentioned may have to be invited, but as of today, these are the people that we think should be invited and from there, we may need to invite many more organisations as the probe continues,” Alasoadura added.
The companies are listed on the NNPC website as benefiting from crude term contracts.

Companies listed on the NNPC website as benefiting from crude term contracts and said to be among the 40 firms are MRS Oil and Gas, AA Rano, Bono, Masters Energy, Eterna Oil and Gas, Oando, Sahara Energy, Cassiva Energy, Hyde Energy, Brittania U, North West Petroleum, Optima Energy, AMG Petroenergy, Arkiren Oil and Gas Limited and Shoreline Limited.

There are also Trafigura, Enoc Trading, BP Trading, Total Trading, UCL Petro Energy, Mocho, Tevier Petroleum, Heritage Oil, Levene Energy, Litasco Supply and Trading, Glencore, Hindustan Refinery, Varo Energy, Sonara Refinery, Bharat Petroleum and Cepsa, Entourage Oil, Setana Energy and Prudent Energy.

 

 

 

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