Abuja – The House of Representatives, on Wednesday halted the privatisation of the country’s refineries by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with immediate effect, saying that it initiated the procedure without following the due process.
The House Committee on Privatisation took the position in Abuja after it expressed dissatisfaction at the presentation of the Group Executive Director (GED) Refineries of the NNPC, Mr Anibor Kragha.
Kragha during his submission told the committee that the NNPC was only seeking a joint venture in the management of the refineries and was not privatising it.
“NNPC does not have the mandate to privatise, it is a misrepresentation,”he said.
The GED who said he was appointed in April 2016 stated that he was not aware of letters written to NNPC by the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) on the said privatisation of the refineries.
On his part, the Acting Director General of BPE, Mr Vincent Akpotabie said the Bureau was not aware that the NNPC was making a move to privatise the refineries.
The Acting DG further explained that the immediate past administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan had begun preparing a framework for the privatisation of the refineries.
After hearing both submissions the committee said the NNPC violated the BPE Act of section 11 adding that the claimed joint venture agreement the NNPC was claiming to seek had overtime failed the country.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Ahmed Yerima while ruling on the issue said, “You have not given us clear cut answers and you are saying you are recently appointed.
“In fact you don’t have a presentation which is against the rule.
“I suggest we call off the meeting and you stop all procedures of privatisation and we are going to report this to the House. It is a total violation of the BPE Act, “he added.
The Committee further summoned the Minister, Mr Ibe Kachikwu to answer questions on the said privatisation of the refineries adding that the GED was not competent enough to field questions from the committee.
