Abuja – The Chairman of the House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialization, Hon. Ahmed Yerima yesterday again summoned the Minister of State Petroleum Mr. Ibe Kachikwu to answer to the allegation of the purported attempt by the NNPC to call for biding of the three refineries rather than BPE
Irked by the lukewarm attitude displayed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Mr. Ibe Kachikwu to appear before the House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialization, the Chairman of the Committee had again sent another invitation to the Minister with a stern warning to appear before it in the next couple of days or it will invoke its Constitutional power to compel him to do so.
Refusing to grant recognition to the Executive Director Refining NNPC Mr. Anigbo Kragba as Representative of the Minister, Hon. Ahmed Yerima query the rational behind the Minister for not appearing before the Committee to throw more light on the reasons why NNPC call for biding of the three refineries rather than NCP through BPE.
Hon. Ahmed Yerima emphasised the stand of the House, that the House of Representatives was not against privatisation of the refineries but due process should be adhered to.
“what we want you to do is to follow due process, we are not against privatisation. We want the Nigerian people to know that we believe in this exercise and the House is not against it “.
Hon. Sunday Marshall Katung, (Kaduna State) a member of the Committee wondered aloud if it was the responsibility of BPE Management to sit down with NNPC to discuss the way forward and that such act was not acceptable.
Responding, the Ag. DG BPE, Dr. Vincent Apotere told the Committee that the purpose of the discussion was for preminary, and that they need to interface to enable them to gather information on the basis of information gathering.
The Minister is expected to appear before the Committee within one week, starting from today.
Mr Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources
