Senate reconstitutes panel probing importation of ‘substandard’ petroleum products

The senate has reconstituted an ad hoc committee probing the alleged importation of hazardous petroleum products and dumping of substandard diesel into the country.

The decision of the red chamber followed a motion sponsored by Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate.

In July, the upper legislative chamber constituted the committee to unravel those behind the “economic sabotage”.

But while moving his motion on Thursday, Bamidele said there is a need to involve the house of representatives in order to have “a more holistic investigation that would sanitise the petroleum industry”.

The Ekiti senator said both chambers of the national assembly need to be on the same page so that efforts would not be duplicated.

“There is a need for the ad hoc committees of the two chambers to work together to avoid duplication in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities,” he said.

The lawmaker said the reconstituted committee should now be called “national assembly joint ad hoc committee to investigate alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian petroleum industry”.

The upper legislative chamber resolved “to communicate its decision to the house of representatives for the purpose of constituting the equal number of an ad hoc committee that will work with the senate.”

Bamidele retained his position as chair of the committee.

Members of the committees are senators Asuquo Ekpenyong, Yahaya Abdullahi, Mohammed Monguno and Solomon Olamilekan.

Others Plang Diket, Ipalibo Banigo, Khabeeb Mustapha, Adams Oshiomhole, Williams Eteng Jonah, Adetokunbo Abiru, Osita Izunaso, Sahabi Ya’u, Abdul Ningi and Suleiman Kawu.