The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has appointed seven members to a Joint Senate/House Committee tasked with investigating alleged economic sabotage within the petroleum industry.
The committee members include Rep. Prof. Julius Inhovbere, who will serve as the Co-Chairman, along with members Rep. Iduma Ighariwey, Rep. Gboyega Isiaka, Rep. Sada Soli, Rep. Fatima Talba, Rep. Tunji Raheem, and Rep. Patrick Umoh.
According to a statement by the House Spokesperson, Rep. Akin Rotimi, the urgency and significance of the investigation have necessitated close collaboration between the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“This new structure is designed to foster synergy, ensure a comprehensive approach to the issues, and facilitate efficient administrative coordination, resulting in a unified and effective investigation,” Rotimi stated.
The Committee is expected to begin its work immediately, with a clear mandate to promote accountability and transparency in the sector.
This development follows the dissolution of the previous ad-hoc Joint Downstream and Midstream Committees set up for the same purpose.
These committees were originally formed to probe critical issues in the oil and gas sector, including controversies surrounding the importation of adulterated petroleum products, the lack of crude oil for domestic refineries, and other energy security concerns.
