Reps receive 890 public petitions, blame MDAs for delaying justice

Senate has launched one of its most expansive investigations into Nigeria’s petroleum industry, summoning the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), key regulatory agencies, and dozens of multinational and indigenous oil firms.

This is as the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has disclosed that it has received 890 petitions from Nigerians since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, blaming the persistent non-compliance of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with its invitations for delaying justice for many petitioners.

The Senate’s summons is meant for agencies invited to account for issues arising from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Oil and Gas Industry Audit Reports covering 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The sweeping legislative probe, to be conducted by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, is expected to place virtually every major institution connected with Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain under intense scrutiny as lawmakers seek to uncover revenue leakages, enforce statutory remittances and strengthen accountability in the nation’s most strategic economic sector.

In a statement announcing the exercise, the committee said the investigation derives its authority from Sections 88, 89 and 85(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Order 95(5)(d) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2026.

According to the committee, the NEITI audit reports submitted to the National Assembly contain extensive findings on revenues, royalties, taxes, remittances, financial obligations and operational activities of stakeholders across the oil and gas industry.

The lawmakers said the public hearings would examine the level of compliance by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), government-owned enterprises, regulators and oil companies with the Constitution, the NEITI Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Financial Regulations and other laws governing Nigeria’s extractive sector.

The committee said the exercise was aimed at promoting transparency, improving revenue assurance, strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring that all funds due to the Federation were fully accounted for.

The hearings, scheduled to commence on August 3 at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, will begin with appearances by NEITI, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as lawmakers begin by examining the regulatory and financial framework governing the industry.

On August 4, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) are expected before the committee.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Joint Development Authority and the Ministry of National Planning have been scheduled for August 5, while the Nigeria Revenue Service, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources will appear on August 6.

The investigation will continue on August 10 with appearances by the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance before attention shifts to oil-producing companies.

The committee directed all organisations to appear through their chief accounting officers accompanied by technical personnel with direct knowledge of the issues raised in the audit reports.

MEANWHILE, the House of Representatives Chairman of the Committee on Public Petitions, Kwamoti Bitrus La’ori, disclosed about its investigation yesterday at a retreat organised for members of the committee with the support of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and the European Union.

La’ori said the committee had successfully concluded 200 petitions and presented reports on 70 cases to the House for consideration, while several others are awaiting legislative action.

According to him, the volume of petitions received underscores the growing confidence Nigerians have in the committee as an avenue for seeking legislative intervention and redress.

La’ori identified the refusal of many MDAs to honour the committee’s invitations as a major obstacle to its work, saying the practice unnecessarily prolonged the resolution of cases.

He stressed the need to strengthen documentation, institutional memory, knowledge management and digital record-keeping as the 10th National Assembly enters its final year.

According to him, the retreat was convened to review the committee’s performance, identify operational gaps and develop practical strategies to improve petition handling, reporting and institutional learning before the end of the current Assembly.

La’ori said participants were expected to adopt a roadmap for consolidating the committee’s achievements, improve the quality and timely presentation of committee reports, and deploy digital tools to enhance petition management and record-keeping.

Speaking earlier, Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Clement Nwankwo, urged members of the committee to use the remaining months of the 10th Assembly to conclude pending assignments and strengthen institutional systems that would benefit future assemblies.

Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Bashir Abubakar, said the commission and the House Committee on Public Petitions share a common mandate of providing citizens with accessible avenues for justice and administrative redress.

Abubakar noted that while the PCC investigates complaints against public institutions to promote administrative justice and accountability, the House Committee provides a constitutional platform for legislative intervention where administrative remedies have failed or where systemic shortcomings require parliamentary oversight.