Reps Committee threatens to sanction government agencies over failure to appear for probe

The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the Volume of Fuel Consumed Daily in the Country has threatened to sanction government agencies over their failure to appear for probe.

The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Abdulkadir Abdulahhi (APC-Kano) issued the warning on Thursday at a public hearing in Abuja.

The committee said all relevant agencies of government yet to appear before the committee, risked “unpalatable consequences.”

Mr Abdulahhi said the consumption of petroleum products, particularly PMS, was a very sensitive issue in the country with its far-reaching implication for fiscal federalism.

“We expect government agencies to cooperate with us to give information and data that we ask for so we can sensitise them and do analysis to come up with the volume consumed.

He said though the exercise would help the committee to determine the amount of money needed to subsidise the product, most of the key players in the industry were avoiding appearing for a hearing.

“Let me sound a note of warning that this committee and indeed the House of Representatives will leave no stone unturned.

“There is no agency that is above the law, they can only delay their appearance before this committee but they will not escape the tentacles of this committee and the House as far as this investigation is concerned.

“It is better for them to appear, before this committee makes their submissions, and give us the data that is required for this exercise for the mandate of this committee to be actualised.

“I want to use this medium to draw their attention, that we expect them to be civil government organisations and cooperate in this legislative responsibility,’’ he said.

Mr Abdulahhi directed the Clerk of the committee to write all the agencies of government concerned including those who sent in letters requesting a time extension to appear at the next hearing.

He said failure to appear for the next hearing which will come up in the second week of August, will attract “unpalatable consequences’’ from the committee and the House as a whole.