Reps probe NNPC over N1.93bn expenditure charter service without documents

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, (PAC) has commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the expenditure of about N1.93 billion by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on charter service without any document to back up the expenditure.

This was contained in the 2019 report of the Auditor General for the Federation currently being investigated by the Public Accounts Committee of the House being chained by Hon Busayo Oluwole Oke (PDP-Osun) .

The report stated  that the NNPC, now NNPC Limited spent the said amount on 17 charter hire services without payment vouchers and adequate supporting document to back up the expenditure.

It also said 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 presented to the PAC further 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 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.

Consequently, the Committee  had directed   Group Managing Director of the NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari to appear before it 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 document and all other relevant documents.