THE Federal Government has invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe all payments made in respect of subsidies on petrol and kerosene and prosecute all those that might be involved in fraudulent practices. The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, who disclosed this to State House correspondents after the meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors on Sunday, said she decided to take the step following the removal of subsidy on petrol and the ensuing protests.
The statement she circulated outlined four steps which government had taken to bring sanity into the petroleum sector.
It stated: “With presidential approval, I have written to invite the EFCC to immediately review all payments made in respect of subsidies on PMS and kerosene and to take all necessary steps to prosecute any incidence of malfeasance, fraud, over -invoicing and related illegalities in an open and transparent manner.
“I have set up a unit within my office to be headed by an independent auditor to review the KPMG and other audit reports on NNPC and other parastatal [agencies], and immediately begin implementation of their findings, ensuring at all times, full probity and value for money.
"I am en-panelling another unit in my office to begin a comprehensive review of the management and controls within all parastatals in Ministry of Petroleum Resources, including, but not limited to NNPC, PPPRA and DPR. Accordingly, I expect a report in 30 days to enable us to take further action in reforming management, personnel and other practices and procedures in parastatals within the ministry.
"It should be noted, however, that this process has already begun in PPPRA and DPR where management changes and reform are beginning to yield desirable results.
“I will be meeting with the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the coming week to seek their cooperation and leadership in the quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill so that we can anchor the comprehensive reform of the oil industry,” the statement said.
The minister assured Nigerians that having spent the last 18 months to painstakingly review its operation, it was now time for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to deliver.
In the letter to the acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, dated January 12, 2012, Alison-Madueke remarked that she was concerned that subsidy bill had grown “exponentially to unsustainable keels.”
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