The Senate Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has given Seplat Energy, Network E&P Nigeria Limited and two other oil companies 48 hours 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 summons could prompt the National Assembly to invoke its legislative powers against the affected companies.
The decision followed concerns raised by committee members over the companies’ failure to appear before the panel to address issues raised in the NEITI audit reports.
Senator Abdul Ningi was the first 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 body to which it was accountable.
Ningi, however, argued that the Senate had constitutional powers to summon any individual, organisation or government agency to provide explanations on matters under investigation.
“Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution empower the National Assembly to invite anybody or agency for explanations on issues raised against them,” he said.
Supporting the call, Senator Shehu Kaka Lawan (Borno Central) urged the committee to invoke its constitutional powers against the managements of companies that had failed to honour its invitations.
Consequently, the committee directed the Managing Director of Network E&P Nigeria Limited to appear before it on Thursday, warning that failure to comply would attract the full weight of its legislative powers.
The committee issued similar directives to the managing directors of All Grace Energy Limited, Aradel Energy Limited and Seplat Energy after noting their absence from the proceedings.
