The minister
of Petroleum resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke and the GMD of NNPC (Mr. Andrew Yakubu, have
been queried in a letter dated 26th March and signed by the
Chairman of the committee, Samuel Adeola, signifies the heightened preparation
for the probe of the chartered private Jet which is said to be costing the
country billions of Naira.
the
Minister was expected to tender a written
submission within one week of all she knows about the transaction and if
as a Minister she is entitle to such chartered private jets for private use. Weather
or not she has not breached public service rules as well as who is responsible
for the bills.
Other significant
information that would help the committee in the investigation is also to be
forwarded by Minister.
The GMD
NNPC is to provide in written form to the lawmakers all information relating to
the deal from 2011 till date, the level of involvement of the Corporation, the
contractual agreement between the Corporation and the operators of the private
jets and its financial commitment to it since 2011 till date among others.
The Committee is requesting from the private jets operators “the
contract agreements between them and the NNPC from 2011 till date, all the
flight schedules, the passengers’ manifests from 2011 till date and the amount
of money paid to them during the period under review,” the source added.
The probe into the controversial operation of
chartered private jets for private use for local and foreign trips by Mrs
Diezeani Alison-Madueke was sequel to a motion brought before the House on the
matter by a member, Samuel Adejare (APC, Lagos).
One of the aspects that the Reps Committee is
interested in getting answers to is why there was no valid contract agreement
between the NNPC/Petroleum Resources Ministry and the Private Jets operators
for the lease of the 850 challenger Aircraft which was allegedly extensively
used by the Minister.
The tendering of memoranda by stakeholders would be
followed by the adoption of a date for the public hearing on the matter, in
line with the resolution of the House, it was learnt on Wednesday.
Several new flight schedules operated on foreign trips
by the Minister between 2012 and 2013 has also been uncovered by the Public
Accounts committee.
The new discovery, involving Global Express XRS with
tail number S5-GMG and tail number OE-LGX,OE-LSS and OE-INA allegedly cost $300,000
(about N50m) per trip, way above an estimated cost of N7.5million for the same
trip.
A December 21, 2012 trip from the Nnamdi Azikwe
International Airport,
Abuja to the United Kingdom with the Global
Express XRS with the tail number: OE-LGX gulped N57.5million as against an
estimated N6million, it was also alleged.
