The House of Representatives said yesterday it cannot continue to approve N4 trillion annually for fuel subsidy when the economy is in dire straits.
Chairman of the ad-hoc committee investigating the state of the nation’s refineries, Ganiyu Johnson, stated the position of the House at a session of the panel.
He expressed disappointment over the non-appearance of officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Limited and other operators of the refineries.
The committee, therefore, mandated them to appear on the next adjourned date, warnibng that failure to appear would be met with sanctions.
“We do not want subsidy and if we do not want subsidy, then the refineries must be working. We must find a way to make them work so we can refine locally. It is a shame.
“So, I want to implore everybody, let us work together as Nigerians. We owe our people, so we can end the issue of subsidy. That money for subsidy can be channeled to developmental projects, if the refineries are working.
“On that note I want to say that the NNPC and the operators of the refineries have this last opportunity to put things right. I am directing that you should by next invitation show up otherwise we would take parliamentary action on NNPC and the operators of the refineries because we cannot continue like this.
“You expect the National Assembly to sit down and approve over N4 trillion just for subsidy, money that should be used for something else. We cannot continue.
”We have to find a solution to this problem. We must find a way out. And the way out is for us to join hands and make sure those refineries are working,” he said.
