The Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has given Seplat Energy, Network E&P Nigeria Limited and two other oil companies a 48-hour ultimatum to appear before it and respond to queries contained in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 audit reports of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, warned that failure to honour the invitation could trigger the use of the National Assembly’s legislative powers against the affected companies.
The directive followed concerns raised by committee members over the failure of the companies to appear before the Senate panel to respond to issues raised in the NEITI audit reports.
Senator Abdul Ningi was the first member to call for sanctions, describing a letter from Network E&P Nigeria Limited to the committee as “disturbing and provocative.”
The company had reportedly told the committee that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) was the regulatory authority to which it was accountable.
Ningi rejected the position, stressing that the Senate had constitutional powers to summon individuals, organisations and government agencies to provide explanations on matters under investigation.
He cited Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, which empower the National Assembly to invite individuals or agencies to explain issues under investigation.
Supporting the call for sanctions, Senator Shehu Kaka Lawan, representing Borno Central, urged the committee to invoke its constitutional powers against the managements of companies that failed to honour its invitations.
Following the deliberations, the committee directed the Managing Director of Network E&P Nigeria Limited to appear before it on Thursday.
The committee warned that failure to comply with the directive would attract the full weight of its legislative powers.
Similar directives were issued to the Managing Directors of All Grace Energy Limited, Aradel Energy Limited and Seplat Energy after the committee noted their absence from the proceedings.
The latest summons forms part of the Senate’s review of queries contained in NEITI’s audit reports, with the committee seeking explanations from companies linked to issues identified in the reports.
