Michael Ita Bassey
The Nigerian Senate has ordered the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to immediately refund two hundred and sixteen billion naira, illegally used for fuel subsidy payments without appropriation, into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
It red chamber also asked the corporation to stop further payment of fuel subsidies and mandated the federal government to quickly send in its requirements for fuel subsidy payments for inclusion in the 2018 budget.
The Senate resolutions is sequel to a report by its public accounts committee on the investigation of all subsidy payments by the NNPC without recourse to the National Assembly.
The lawmakers also ordered a special audit of the NNPC for 5 years by the Auditor General of the Federation and that it should be submitted to Senate within two months.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Matthew Urhoghide while reading his report also said the committee also recommended that the federal government should pay all oil marketers the outstanding arrears of subsidies owed them prior to 2017.
