By Lawrence Olaoye
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts will today meet on the controversial N10billion spent on chartered private jets by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke on the accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
It was learnt that as at yesterday, the Minister, the NNPC, the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other agencies of the government had refused to respond to the queries raised by the committee expected to guide it.
The House had last month mandated its Committee on Public Accounts to conduct a public hearing on the scam and report back to it within three weeks.
Based on the mandate, the Committee sent memo to the Minister, NNPC, the operators of the private jets and others involved in the deal ahead of the public hearings.
It was gathered yesterday, that following the refusal of the principal actors in the deal to respond to the memo, the Committee resolved to meet over the issue and find a way forward
“As I speak, we have yet to hear from the Minister and others. All what we are hearing is that the public hearing will not hold. But I can assure you that as lawmakers, we will do our part; even if it needs issuing a warrant of arrest against those involved. Nobody is above the law of the land”, a member of the Committee said.
Speaking on the development, the chairman of the committee, Rep Solomon Adeola Olamilekan confirmed the meeting on the issue today.
When contacted, the House spokesman, Hon. Zakari Mohammed said that there was no cause for alarm and that the Committee saddled with the responsibility of looking into the matter was on the top of the situation for now.
