A Non-Governmental Organization, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has tasked ministers, Directors-General of federal agencies and parastatals, to initiate immediate invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to forensically examine their finances.
HURIWA stated that it has become necessary as they wind up the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari following the actiin of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, Alhaji Mele Kyari.
HURIWA in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the action of the NNPC by inviting the is welcome and commendable.
The Rights Advocacy group also stated that the invitation of the EFCC by the NNPC “represents a new high and has crossed the threshold of the recommendations made by such global bodies like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations, to governments to implement effective mechanisms for the promotion of open government in the management of public resources.
The NNPC had invited the EFCC to probe a report published in some media platforms that the National Oil Company erred in paying “gratuity in billions” to the Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and the Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya.
The EFCC had requested that Kyari avail the company’s Chief Officer (Human Capital) and the Chief Financial Officer for an interview on the same day.
“They will interact with the Commission’s head of Foreign Exchange Malpractices Section on a wide range of issues connected with the alleged payment of gratuities,” the EFCC’s Director of Operations, Abdulkarim Chukkol had said on Tuesday.
“During the interview, the duo is expected to present Certified True Copies of entitlements and retirement benefits of directors and above; evidence of payments of gratuities to the Group Managing Director, Director Accounts or any other director of the company.”
Some media platforms had claimed the inappropriateness of the disengagement of Kyari and Ajiya from the services of the old NNPC and their subsequent appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari to commence a new tenure as Group CEO and CFO in the new NNPC Limited.
Recall that the NNPCL had clarified the misrepresentation by the publications based on the provisions of Section 59(3), of the Petroleum Industry Act, which nullified previous appointments after the successful transition of the defunct NNPC to the commercially driven National Energy Company, the NNPC Limited.
HURIWA while endorsing the decision two weeks ago by the National Oil Company to institute a legal action against the publication stated that the creation of NNPC limited made clear and unambiguous provisions relating to governance, administration, and the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Board of Directors by the President.
