The House of Representatives, through its Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Midstream and Downstream), has initiated a forensic investigation into the challenges plaguing Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sectors.
In a statement , House of Representatives Spokesman Rep. Akin Rotimi, Jr. said this comprehensive inquiry, authorized under sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), follows a House resolution on July 9, 2024, mandating a thorough examination of these critical sectors (HR. 16/07/2024).
The investigation aims to address numerous issues, including the resurgence of fuel queues, the unavailability of fuel stock for domestic refineries, and disruptions in the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). It also seeks to investigate allegations of unfair subsidization, racketeering within the Pro Forma Invoice System (PFI) regime, indiscriminate licensing for refined petroleum products importation, and the reported reintroduction of PMS price intervention.
Other focal points include the alleged return of fuel subsidies, the importation of substandard and high-sulphur diesel, and the failure of regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to enforce compliance and standards.
Stakeholders, petroleum industry experts, private oil companies, and the general public are invited to submit memoranda addressing these issues. Submissions should provide insights, concerns, challenges, and proposed solutions.
Interested parties are requested to deliver their memoranda in 10 hard copies, along with two flash drives, to the office of the Clerk, Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Room HB. 44, White House, National Assembly, Abuja, by Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Digital submissions can also be sent to house.petroleumresources@nass.gov.ng.
For further inquiries, please contact:
- Abdulrahaman-Naibi S. Alfa, Clerk, Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) at 08033143418
- Muhammad Ali, Clerk, Committee on Petroleum Resources (Midstream) at 08033112996
