Encomium
There is tension in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), following indications that President Muhammadu Buhari would probe it.
Signs that NNPC would be under Buhari’s search light emerged when he gave the hint he might head the ministry of Petroleum Resources.
President Buhari’s body language in respect of alleged massive corruption rocking NNPC has also shown he won’t spare the agency that accounts for nearly 90 per cent of the nation’s revenue.
Relatedly,the summoning of key officials of the oil ministry and heads of revenue generation agencies on Wednesday, June 24,2015 by the Vice President,Prof Yemi Osinbajo has also unsettled NNPC top shots.
The Senate has equally summoned NNPC management over the state of the refineries. This was the thrust of the motion by Senator Gbenga Ashafa of Lagos East yesterday (Wednesday, June 24).
NNPC,encomium.ng learnt, would have to explain the cause of recent multiple fuel tanker tragedies on the roads and why the refineries are not functional.
Nigeria has lost trillions of naira to oil thieves,fraudulent subsidy claims by petroleum product marketers and untouchable political figures. And political analysts say the new president would muster the political will to curb the economic crime frustrating Africa’s biggest economy.
-Uche Olehi
