The House of Representatives Joint Committee on Finance and Petroleum Resources (Upstream) at the weekend, threatened to sanction companies that failed to honour its invitation to investigate the loss of $60bn inflated cash calls by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Joint Venture Agreements.

Co-chairman of the investigative committee, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, who issued the threat said the committee will not condone those who attempt to undermine the constitutional power of the parliament.

He said the companies and agencies are involved with huge amounts of resources that would have been used to better the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians and, hence must be held accountable.

He said, “For those who have not come because there were several companies and agencies that were invited and it’s like they were insensitive to the invitation of this important committee.

“For those who chose to disregard what the parliament is doing here, this committee would not take it lightly with anyone or institution who wants to undermine the constitutional powers of this important hearing to investigate the affairs of public finance of this great country, Nigeria.

“Myself and all members of the committee are of the view that we would be compelled going forward to invoke and also create any means possible to use the available instrumentality of the law to make sure that whoever is invited appears and if any of them decide not to appear, then at the end we would be compelled to use the instrumentality of the law around us to compel appearance.

“Because obviously: no one of us would take lightly some of the insensitive actions or inactions of some of the agencies of government especially in matters that involve huge amounts of resources.

“Resources that would have been used to better the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians; that would have been used to improve a lot in the course of government and the course of governance in our great country Nigeria.

“I would like to direct the clerk to go through his books and let us have on record those who were invited and have not explained reasons why they did not come. Let us also know those who have responded by way of apology or any other reason not to appear and then the committee would take appropriate actions in that regard,” he added.

Some of the companies and Agencies involved in the probe include Total Exploration, ⁠Shell Petroleum, Agip, Chevron, Oando, ⁠Mobil, ⁠Pan Ocean, ⁠Erotton, ⁠Belema, First Exploration and New Cross Exploration.(New Telegraph)