By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to suspend its activities on the constitution of a committee to audit the accounts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

This was contained in a letter tagged SH/COS/24/A/28 and dated August 1, addressed to the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and signed by Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

“Your Constitution of a committee to audit the accounts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been referred to the Attorney General of the Federation (HAGF) for review and determination of the constitutional, statutory and administrative implications.

“Therefore, the committee is hereby directed to suspend its activities pending the conclusion of the review by the HAGF,” the letter read in part.

The new directive comes against the background of the lingering crisis between the management of the NUPRC and its workers.

Business Post reported earlier that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) had protested the alleged poor welfare and working conditions affecting staff in the commission and called for the removal of the commission’s chief executive, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, over alleged financial mismanagement.

PENGASSAN had, in a letter dated July 30, accused the commission of various infractions, including non-remittance of pension, non-conducive work environment, insufficient working tools, staff medicals, outstanding payment of 2023 upfront allowances, unpaid staff claims, unpaid staff on call allowance and non-payment of outsourced personnel.

In a response, the commission refuted the allegations and said they were made to disparage the integrity of the commission.

It said according to the Petroleum Industry Act (2021), the powers of appointment, promotion and remuneration are vested in the board of the commission, while statutorily, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) regulates compliance with statutory procedure concerning recruitment into public establishments.

It explained that the recruitment generating controversies was done in compliance with all procedures and compliance certificates issued by the relevant organ. The NUPRC also claimed that allegations the management misappropriated N10 billion virement and donated billions to political parties were libellous and entirely unsubstantiated.

It added that allegations of misappropriation of N10 billion virement, donation of N4 billion to political parties, inflation of contracts to siphon funds amounting to N1 billion, N900 million spent on sensitisation workshops, N500 million for office renovations, N1.5 billion for luxury transportation, including private jets are “false and misleading”.

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

“Equally, the financial source documents (invoices) utilised to make the donations ought to be published. There is no way fourteen (14) billion naira can leave the coffers of the Commission without a trace, especially given how funds are allocated to the Commission,” it said.

It explained that there was no truth in the accusation of inflation of contracts at the NUPRC, adding that the commission approved a sustainable template for the engagement and payment of external solicitors engaged by the commission.

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

It is important to note that thirteen (13) slots of sensitisation campaigns were earmarked in 13 strategic locations within the oil-producing zones, and the campaigns are still ongoing.”

The NUPRC said all documentary evidence, including publications and video footage of the campaigns, can be sought and obtained from the Executive Commissioner HSEC.

“The Commission inherited offices used by the defunct DPR, which was only a subsidiary of the defunct NNPC. The appointment of executive commissioners and recruitment of 140 extra staff, given the new and added responsibilities of the NUPRC, necessitated reorganisation and renovation of the Commission’s offices across the country to accommodate its operations.

“Therefore, some of the offices, including those in the zones and fields, had to be restructured, refurbished and furnished to accommodate additional personnel and replace old and damaged furniture and equipment inherited at inception.

“The allegation is equally baseless and lacks any iota of truth. In fact, there was no time that the Commission chartered a private jet for the Commission Chief Executive (CCE). The purveyors are challenged to publish the account details and invoices supporting the transactions in their nefarious claims,” it said.

“We challenge the purveyors of the claims to provide evidence. He who alleges has the burden of proof,” the commission said.