By AHMED MUSA

The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into claims
by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) now NNPC Limited, that is spent about N1.93 billion on charter services even though it is has no document to back up the claimed expenditure.

The said claims and the absence of supporting documents are all contained in the 2019 report of the Auditor General for the Federation currently being investigated by the Public Accounts Committee of the House.

The report said that the NNPC, now NNPC Limited spent the said amount on 17 charter hire services without payment vouchers and adequate supporting documents to back up the expenditure despite statutory demands by federal auditors to provide same.

It also revealed that there was no supporting document like evidence of vessels transshipment of products, clearance certificates from appropriate inspection agency among others to show that the payments were valid and charged against public funds.

The AuGF report indicted the management of the NNPC for what it called “weakness in the internal control system at the NNPC,” adding that this could have led to “illegitimate payment” and payment for services not rendered.

It stated further that the Management of the NNPC failed to provide any response to the audit query issued to them, demanding that the Group Managing Director Mele Kyari, be asked to provide reasons why payments were made without adequate supporting documents.

They are also to account for the N1.93 billion paid to 17 contractors for the charter hire without adequate supporting documents and provide evidence of vessel transshipments of products, clearance certificate from appropriate inspection agencies.

Chairman of the Public Account Committee of the House, Hon. Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun) has however asked the NNPC boss to appear before the Committee to defend the audit query.

He said Kyari should provide the list of all the 17 contractors who benefited from the contract, their legal status and the contract documents and all other relevant information. (Sunday Independent)