The Nigerian Senate has requested detailed information from the federal government regarding the award and disbursement of over N100 billion for the handling of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (PCNG) projects. The Senate Committee on Gas, chaired by Senator Jarigbe Agom, directed the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, to provide comprehensive records of the award and disbursement of the funds within seven days.
Specifically, the committee requested a list of companies engaged in the handling of the PCNG projects and details of the award and disbursement of the allocated funds. This demand comes as the PCNG plans to release an additional N130 billion to unspecified companies.
The committee had previously commended President Bola Tinubu for the CNG initiatives but urged him to present a supplementary budget to the National Assembly to cover such spending. The committee warned that spending taxpayers’ money on gas infrastructure development projects without National Assembly approval would constitute extra-budgetary expenditure and a violation of the Public Procurement Act.
The request for information follows a petition by a group called the “Good Governance and Transparency Front,” which accused the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Presidential CNG Initiative of approving funds disbursement to cronies without following due process and the Public Procurement Act.
In the letter addressed to the finance minister, Senator Jarigbe emphasized the need for transparency and adherence to due process in government initiatives. The committee seeks details on the process of awarding contracts, opening bids, qualification criteria applied, and documentation regarding the committees that received funding for promoting the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the country.
The committee warned the PCNG of the consequences of proceeding with disbursement without Senate approval and emphasized the importance of public trust and accountability in such initiatives. Senator Jarigbe expressed appreciation for the attention to the matter and requested the requested information within seven days from the date of receipt.
