By Fatima Saka
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has rejected attempts by some oil companies to appear through representatives, insisting that their Managing Directors and Chief Executives must personally appear before the committee to respond to sensitive issues arising from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Oil and Gas Industry Audit Reports for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The committee, at a special legislative oversight and public hearing in Abuja on Wednesday, said the issues under consideration required the presence of the chief executives because of the need for direct explanations, decisions and commitments from the companies’ highest authorities.
Among the oil firms whose representatives were mentioned during the proceedings were TotalEnergies, South Atlantic Petroleum (SOUTH ATLANTIC), Pharma Oil and Green Energy.
The representatives of South Atlantic told the committee that the company’s Managing Director was currently out of the country on an official assignment and that the firm had sent representatives, including officials from its Legal and Government Affairs department, to honour the invitation.
However, the lawmakers rejected the explanation, stressing that junior officials could not substitute for the chief executive before a Senate committee.
The committee chairman said the hearing involved sensitive issues that required the attention of the highest authorities of the affected companies, adding that chief executives must be available to take responsibility for the information and commitments presented before the panel.
The lawmakers also cited a previous case involving TotalEnergies, where the company’s representatives were reportedly asked to return because the Managing Director was required to appear personally.
The committee stressed that allowing companies to routinely delegate their chief executives would undermine its rules and create a precedent where organisations could avoid direct accountability before the legislature.
The committee consequently directed the representatives of South Atlantic to communicate the decision to their Managing Director and ensure his personal appearance at the next sitting scheduled for the following week.
The lawmakers warned that failure by invited companies to comply could attract sanctions, including recommendations to the Senate plenary.
A member recalled that the committee had on Tuesday taken similar action against agencies and companies that failed, refused or neglected to honour its invitations.
He urged the committee to apply the same measure to the affected oil firms by serving them fresh letters, giving them another date to appear with all required documents and respond to issues raised in the audit reports.
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The committee subsequently extended the directive to Pharma Oil and Green Energy, ordering them to appear at the rescheduled hearing with the necessary documentation.
The lawmakers maintained that the measures were necessary to ensure accountability and prevent delays in resolving issues contained in the NEITI audit reports.
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