The Presidency has ordered Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources suspend its activities on the constitution of a committee to audit the account of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
This was contained in a letter labeled SH/COS/24/A/28 and dated August 1, addressed to the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and signed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The letter read in part: “Your constitution of a committee to audit the accounts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been referred to the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation (HAGF) for review and determination of constitutional rights, statutory and administrative implications.
“Therefore, the committee is ordered to suspend its activities pending the completion of the review by the HAGF,” the letter read.
The new directive comes in the context of ongoing crises between the NUPRC management and its workers.
accusations
The Nigerian Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) had earlier protested the alleged poor welfare and working conditions affecting the commission’s staff and called for the dismissal of the commission’s chief executive, Gbenga Komolafe, for allegedly poor financial management.
PENGASSAN, in a letter dated July 30, accused the commission of various violations, including non-repayment of pensions, a non-conducive work environment, insufficient work tools, medical examinations of staff, pending payments of initial allowances for 2023 , unpaid personnel claims, unpaid personnel. on-call allowances and non-payment of subcontracted personnel.
But in early August, the NUPRC, in its reaction, said the allegations were made to undermine the integrity of the commission.
The defense of the NUPRC
The commission said that by law (the Oil Industry Act of 2021) the powers of appointment, promotion, and remuneration rest with the commission’s board, while by law, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) regulates compliance with the legal procedure related to hiring in public establishments.
He explained that the contracting that generated controversies was carried out in compliance with all the procedures and certificates of compliance issued by the corresponding body. The NUPRC also claimed that the allegations that the management misappropriated 10 billion naira and donated billions to political parties were defamatory and totally unsubstantiated.
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It added that allegations of embezzlement of 10 billion naira, donation of 4 billion naira to political parties, inflation of contracts to divert funds worth 1 billion naira, 900 million naira spent on awareness workshops, 500 Naira million for office renovations, Naira 1.5 billion for luxury transportation. , including private planes, are “false and misleading.”
He then urged the unions to publish the details of the commission’s account where the donations came from and the accounts of the political parties involved where the 4bn and 10bn naira were deposited.
“Likewise, the financial source documents (invoices) used to make the donations must be published. There is no way that fourteen (14) billion naira could leave the Commission’s coffers without a trace, especially considering how funds are allocated to the Commission,” he said.
He explained that there was no truth to the accusation of contract inflation at the NUPRC, adding that the commission approved a sustainable model for the hiring and payment of outside lawyers hired by the commission.
“The awareness workshops were approved by the corresponding authority in accordance with due process and duly executed by the Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) department in accordance with the scope of its duties and responsibilities.
It is important to note that thirteen (13) spaces were allocated for awareness campaigns in 13 strategic locations within the oil-producing areas, and the campaigns are still ongoing.”
The NUPRC said that all documentary evidence, including campaign posts and videos, can be requested and obtained from the HSEC Executive Commissioner.
“The Commission inherited the offices used by the extinct RPD, which was only a subsidiary of the extinct NNPC. The appointment of executive commissioners and the hiring of 140 additional officers, given the new and additional responsibilities of the NUPRC, required the reorganization and renovation of Commission offices throughout the country to accommodate its operations.
“Therefore, some of the offices, including those in the zones and fields, had to be restructured, renovated and furnished to accommodate additional staff and replace old and damaged furniture and equipment inherited from the start.
“The accusation is equally baseless and lacks an iota of truth. In fact, there was no time for the Commission to charter a private plane for the Commission Chief Executive (CCE). Vendors are challenged to publish account details and invoices supporting transactions in their nefarious claims,” he said.
“We challenge claim providers to provide proof. Whoever alleges has the burden of proof,” the commission said.
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