Presidency orders Oil Ministry to suspend NUPRC audit

The Presidency has ordered the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources to suspend its activities regarding the establishment of a committee to audit the accounts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

This was in a letter labeled SH/COS/24/A/28 and dated August 1, addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and signed by the President's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

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The letter read in part: "Your appointment of a committee to audit the accounts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been referred to the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation (HAGF) for consideration and determination of the Constitution. , statutory and administrative implications.

“Therefore, the committee is requested to suspend its activities pending the conclusion of the review by the HAGF,” the letter reads.

The new directive comes amid ongoing crises between NUPRC management and its workers.

Allegations

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Executives Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) had previously protested the poor working conditions and welfare of commission staff and called for the dismissal of the chief executive of the commission. commission, Gbenga Komolafe, for alleged financial mismanagement.

PENGASSAN had, in a letter dated July 30, accused the commission of various offences, including non-payment of pension, unconducive working environment, insufficient work tools, medical examinations of staff, unpaid payment of initial allowances for 2023, unpaid staff claims. , unpaid custodial allowances and non-payment of outsourced staff.

But earlier in August, the NUPRC, in its reaction, said the allegations were aimed at disparaging the integrity of the commission.

Defense of the NUPRC

The commission stated that by statute (the Petroleum Industry Act 2021), the powers of appointment, promotion and remuneration are vested in the board of the commission, while by statute, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) regulates compliance with legal process regarding recruitment into public institutions.

He explained that the controversial recruitment was carried out in compliance with all procedures and certificates of compliance issued by the competent body. The NUPRC also claimed that the allegations that the management embezzled 10 billion naira and donated billions to political parties were defamatory and totally unfounded.

He added that allegations of misappropriation of 10 billion naira, donation of 4 billion naira to political parties, inflation of contracts to siphon off funds amounting to 1 billion naira, 900 million naira spent on sensitization workshops, 500 million naira on office renovations, 1.5 billion naira. for luxury transportation, including private jets, are "false and misleading".

He then challenged the unions to publish the details of the commission account where the donations came from and the accounts of the political parties involved where the four billion naira and ten billion naira were deposited.

“Similarly, the financial documents (invoices) used to make the donations must be published. It is impossible for fourteen (14) billion naira to leave the coffers of the Commission without a trace, especially given the way the funds are allocated to the Commission,” he said.

He explained that there was no truth in the accusation of contract inflation at the NUPRC, adding that the commission had approved a sustainable model for the hiring and payment of outside attorneys hired by the commission .

“The awareness workshops were approved by the competent authority in accordance with due process and duly executed by the Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) department, in accordance with the scope of duties and responsibilities.