NASS Slams Presidential Committee Over Unaccounted N500bn Gas Palliatives

National Assembly has frowned at the failure of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas-Initiative (PCNG-I) Steering Committee to give account of the N500 billion approved as palliatives for the purpose of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) advancement in the country.

The Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream, Downstream and Gas) expressed the displeasure at the 2024 budget defence of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in Abuja, yesterday.

The lead chairman of the committee, Senator Jarigbe Agom, said the activities of the Steering Committee are shrouded in secrecy and the ministers of state, Petroleum Resources (Oil and Gas) are totally in the dark about what it is doing.

Agom regretted that the PCNG-I had not made any progress at all and Nigerians are suffering because of the removal of subsidy.

He said in trying to get self-help,“the P-CNGI has embarked on a fundraiser, which comes up tomorrow, in order to extort funds from so-called stakeholders.”

The lawmaker said as a parliament, they do not align with running government programmes with disregard of the provisions of the law.

“We cannot achieve what Mr. President wants, without providing for the CNG-Project and other very important Projects in the Appropriations Act. Doing so, will only open a window for fraud, which will impact negatively on the Citizenry.

“Let it be on record that the Steering Committee of the P-CNGI cannot account for the Funds already provided from the N500bn approved for Palliatives for the purpose of CNG advancement in the Country,” he added.

Agom said it was the duty of the Joint-Committee to ensure the effective allocation of resources for the advancement of the nation’s petroleum sector.

„Our oversight function is predicated on fostering transparency, efficiency and sustainable development within the ministry, NNPCL and its subsidiaries.

„I urge all stakeholders to engage in open dialogue and provide insightful inputs that will contribute to the formulation of a budget that aligns with our national priorities. Let us work collaboratively to address challenges, seize opportunities, and uphold the interests of the citizens we serve.

„We are aware that on the 1st of October, 2023, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made a promise to Nigerians in a speech, where he stated unequivocally his resolve to ameliorate the sufferings of the common man, by introducing palliatives to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal.

„Mr. President also committed to building Training Workshops and provide CNG Conversion Kits, to advance the Natural Gas Revolution Policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

„The Joint-Committee observes with utter dismay, the non-provision of those Projects and Palliatives in the 2024 Appropriations Bill, which has been made available to the Joint-Committee.“

According to him, the budget of the ministry is neither here nor there as it does not reflect the policy direction of the president on the decade of gas and the use of CNG as an alternative source of fuel.