Sen. Sumaila Kawu, the newly appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), promised yesterday that his committee would address the ongoing lack of transparency in Nigeria’s petroleum sector, which he claimed was controlled by a strong group.
Following the passing of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who served as the senator from Anambra South in the 9th and 10th Senate terms, Kawu was named chairman of the Committee.
In an interview with journalists, he outlined his intentions to provide transparency on the industry’s operations and to initiate meaningful discourse with the general public.
Kawu emphasized the pressing need for transparency and accountability within the sector, given the daily effects that rising fuel prices are having on Nigerians.
“We will start by analyzing the current circumstances and obtaining data from pertinent organizations,” he declared. To determine what we can do, we will first assess the circumstances and gather data from pertinent agencies.
“Nigerians are facing serious challenge. The government of Nigeria keeps telling us that we will soon overcome these difficulties, but the people there are not happy. Consequently, in order to at least know where we stand, we must collaborate with all pertinent parties.
“This time around, we want to do even a public hearing. Allow Nigerians to visit these refineries and offer their own opinions or questions. We recognize one thing that Nigerians need to know, no matter how we can convey it to them.
“They are running the agency like a cabal. Nobody is aware of the situation. We will therefore try our best to provide Nigeria with as much information as possible about what is happening there.
He emphasized the value of holding public hearings so that people can directly express their worries and experiences.
According to Kawu, the committee’s primary objectives will be to oversee the current contracts for refinery repairs and to review contracts given out by prior administrations.
Kawu stated that the panel would uncover any irregularities and guarantee that funds are being used efficiently by closely examining the agreements.
“We need to hold a public hearing and ask the tough questions so that Nigerians can voice their opinions,” he stated.
In order to identify the obstacles to effective production and accountability, he promised to interact with stakeholders, such as the operators of refineries and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
He said that worries regarding production timelines had been raised by the joint Adhoc committee on the National Assembly’s recent visits to the refineries, which prompted a request for a more thorough assessment of the situation.
Kawu promised to concentrate on fostering an open culture within the industry.
He pledged to use the committee to break up the “cabal-like” operations that have defined the sector and make sure the public can easily access and comprehend the decision-making procedures.
Kawu reaffirmed his commitment to putting policies into place that would stabilize the oil industry and allay the justifiable worries of Nigerians.
He conveyed the desire to rebuild trust in the way Nigeria’s petroleum resources are managed.