By Patricia Amogu
The Partners for Petroleum and Energy Sector Prosperity Initiative (PPESPI), a civil society organisation, has urged the National Assembly to exercise caution on the probe of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
PPESPI Chairman, Charles Ibiang, made this appeal while briefing newsmen on Monday in Abuja.
The House of Representatives had issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Coordinator of PAP, Dr Dennis Otuaro, to appear before its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Dec. 9 to answer audit queries involving more than N26billion.
Ibiang, who is also the Director, Natural Resources and Petroleum, National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN), said PPESPI recognised the National Assembly’s oversight powers.
He said, however, there was need for caution and discretion in exercising the powers because of the sensitivity of the mandate of PAP.
“Firstly, we congratulate the nine PAP scholars who recently graduated from prestigious universities in the United Kingdom.
“Their achievement is a testament to the programme’s commitment to empowering Nigerians through education.
“We commend Otuaro’s leadership in designing innovative programmes that prioritise quality education and skills development.”
According to him, PPESPI acknowledges the importance of supporting the PAP administrator’s efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Niger-Delta region by extension the Nigerian Petroleum sector.
“We urge the Federal Government to continue to provide the necessary financial support to enable the programme to achieve its strategic and core objectives.’’
Ibiang said the group was concerned about the recent threats of arrest warrants and summons issued against Otuaro by the National Assembly House Committee on Public Account over alleged financial discrepancies in the Auditor General reports of 2021.
“These issues raised by the committee happened three years before the appointment of the current administrator.
“This is important because audit report should be prepared early enough, so as not to compromise the set objective of accountability.
“As a civil society organisation, we recognise the National Assembly’s oversight powers, but we urge caution and discretion in exercising these powers because of the sensitivity of the mandate of PAP.’’
He said that Otuaro’s work was sensitive and demanding, requiring constant travel to challenging environments, and engaging with stakeholders particularly the ex-agitators to sustain and maintain the peace painfully achieved during the 2009 Amnesty.
“We request that the National Assembly extend invitations to former administrators which tenures are under review and the present, be granted sufficient time to respond to queries and address any other concerns.
“PAP is a strategic agency crucial to Nigeria’s economic stability, particularly in the petroleum sector; we urge all stakeholders to support Otuaro’s efforts to drive the programme forward,’’ he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo
