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Senate President Bukola Saraki has alleged that there is a big fuel subsidy fraud being perpetuated even as the fuel scarxity in the country continues to longer.
Speaking during senate plenary on Wednesday after the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) chaired by Senator Kabiru, presented its report on the fuel scarcity in the country.
Saraki said that though subsidy was important, “based on the figures that have been presented, it is clear that there is a bigger fraud that is being perpetrated. This is because the amount of PMS that is allegedly coming into Nigeria cannot be consumed by Nigerians. At the end of the day, it is Nigerians that are paying for this subsidy fraud because it is not transparent, and it is only being run by one organization”.
He pointed out that another anomally was that Ministries, Department and Agencies were making expwnsitures without legislative approval.
Senator Marafa had revealed that the Federal Government has, so far, paid N450 billion as subsidy on petrol.
He said the amount paid by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was not approved by the National Assembly as required by law. He said President Muhammadu Buhari, who doubles as Minister of Petroleum Resources, gave the approval for the subsidy.
Senators Solomon Adeola, Dino Melaye and Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, in separate submission, lamented that departments and agencies in the sector were spending money withoit approval with fraud very likely.
After senators insisted that Marafa’s report was incomplete, Saraki advised that there was need to treat the problems observed separately.
He said there was need to probe three issues which are:
- How subsidy came into the picture
- The subsidy fraud and the volume of fuel being imported
- Why there was still scarcity with long queues still noticeable at filling stations
He directed the Petroleum commiittee to go back to work, address the issues and present a more comprehensive report.
Saraki directed the Public Accounts Committee to probe the issue of unauthorised spending in the sector.