Youth group condemns dissolution of House oil probe committee

The Ethnic Youth Leaders’ Forum (EYLF) has strongly condemned the dissolution of the House of Representatives ad-hoc Joint Downstream and Midstream Committee, which was investigating the Nigerian oil sector. The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, announced the dissolution abruptly and without explanation, raising concerns about the integrity of the House’s actions.

In a press statement signed by EYLF’s National Coordinator, Godwin Meliga, the Forum criticised the sudden and inexplicable dissolution, suggesting it was an attempt to silence the committee’s exposure of corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

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“Only recently, the media space was inundated with allegations that the investigations of the committee were ruffling feathers in the NNPCL, hence the oil regulatory body was making frantic efforts to financially influence the House leadership to achieve the disbandment of the committee,” stated Meliga. He added that the House Deputy Spokesperson, Hon. Philip Agbese, had called for the dismissal of NNPCL’s Group CEO, Mr. Mele Kyari, and NMDPRA’s CEO, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, for allegedly stifling Nigeria’s economic growth due to the ongoing crisis in the oil sector.

Meliga further noted that the timing of the committee’s dissolution lends credence to these serious allegations. The EYLF expressed firm confidence in the committee led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere and Hon. Henry Okogie, praising their capacity and commitment to thoroughly investigate and propose solutions to the challenges in the oil and gas sector.

The Forum demanded that the committee’s allegations of corruption within the NNPCL be thoroughly investigated rather than ignored.

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The Forum also demanded a clear explanation from the Honourable Speaker regarding the reasons for the committee’s dissolution to dispel mounting allegations of compromise against the House leadership. They called for the immediate reinstatement of the Joint Committee to allow it to continue and complete its investigations into the oil and gas sector.

Additionally, the group requested assurances of government protection for whistleblowers within and outside the NNPCL during the probe.

The House of Representatives ad-hoc Joint Downstream and Midstream Committee was inaugurated two weeks ago with a mandate to conduct a legislative forensic investigation into the nation’s oil and gas sector. The committee was to report back to the House within four weeks, covering areas such as the importation of adulterated petroleum products, the non-availability of crude oil for domestic refineries, and other critical energy security issues.

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However, on Monday, the House spokesperson, Hon. Akin Rotimi Jnr, announced the dissolution of the committee without providing reasons. It was stated that a newly constituted ad-hoc committee with the same mandate would succeed it.

“Nigeria’s future depends on our collective fight against corruption. The dissolution of the House of Reps ad-hoc Joint Downstream and Midstream Committee by the Honourable Speaker risks creating escape routes for looters of our common wealth, especially at a time when Nigerians are protesting against hunger and bad governance. We will not be silenced by leaders who hold the mandate of the people,” Meliga asserted.