By: Ekunkonye Junior in Abuja.

The Senate has queried conflicting records of Premium Motor Spirit importation presented by two key agencies in the petroleum sector.

Through its Committee on Public Accounts, the Senate rejected records submitted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, for 2022 and 2023.

The rejection was based on wide disparities between NMDPRA’s figures and those of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, as contained in the NEITI audit report.

The committee consequently resolved to summon the Chief Executives of NMDPRA, NNPCL and NEITI to explain the inconsistencies.

The issue arose during the committee’s consideration of queries leveled against NMDPRA in the NEITI Oil and Gas Industry Audit Report covering 2021 to 2023.

Appearing before the lawmakers, the Authority Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, represented by Deputy Director, Uzoamaka Ugwu-Ojobe, defended the agency’s data.

She told the panel that NMDPRA stands by 3.29 billion litres for 2022 and 6.02 billion litres for 2023, contrary to NNPCL’s records of 6.27 billion litres in 2022 and 3.88 billion litres in 2023.

According to her, the disparities are slight and are being looked into for reconciliation.

The explanation did not go down well with senators, as Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) stated that the disparities are too wide to be described as slight and lack the seriousness required.

Senator Dayo Faduyile (Ondo South) said such huge gaps suggest something is fundamentally wrong in the importation records.

Senator Anietan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East) insisted that the questionable records must be thoroughly investigated to save Nigerians from being shortchanged and to expose those milking the country, a position upheld by Chairman Senator Hassan Dankwambo who said the heads of the agencies would be summoned.