By Isaac Akerele
Finance Minister and Ccordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun has been spotlighted as the Senate Committee on Gas demands answers regarding the allocation and disbursement of over N100 billion for a Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
Following mounting concerns about violation of due process by Edun, the Senate Committee had consequently issued the deadline to address rising concerns of a potential violation of the Public Procurement Act.
The 7-day ultimatum expires soon. This also comes amidst plans to release an additional N130 billion to some unknown companies regarding the project. As a result, the Senate has cautioned against further unauthorized spendings, demanding a strict compliance with oversight procedures.
It would be recalled that while some senators had previously praised the CNG initiative by President Bola Tinubu, the legislators had however urged a prompt presentation of a supplementary budget to legitimize such large expenditures in order to uphold accountability standards.
Their urgency follows fresh allegations of favoritism allocations and neglect of due process requirements by the CNG Steering Committee from the “Good Governance and Transparency Front.”
Senate Committee Chairman, Mr. Jarigbe Agom, specifically demanded a comprehensive allocation records and clarity on the process of awards, details on disbursement and all companies involved from Minister Edun. This is in Strict adherence to the Public Procurement Act, 2007.
Facing mounting scrutiny and deadlines, the Finance Minister is expected to give a report and uphold public trust in a week’s time. According to the Committee, the outcome holds implications for governance and transparency in Nigeria’s energy sector.
