Refinery: Reps Committee Queries $50m Contract

Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed reports,

An Adhoc Committee of tye Federal House of Representatives that probe the state of refineries has queried the $50 million contract given to Maire Tecnimont Nigeria limited by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) for integrity test of the Nigerian refineries.

Following the presence of the Managing Lead of the Company at a hearing held yesterday, Hon. Ganiyu Johnson issued the query in Abuja. Johnson is the Chairman of the temporary committee.

The Adhoc committee had earlier on June 4, 2022 summoned the Managing Director of Tecnimont Nigeria Limited, a major contractor of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, over the state of the nation’s refineries.

The Ganiyu Johnson led Adhoc committee ordered that Maire Tecnimont Nigeria Limited submit proof of payment of the whooping amount it took from the NNPC for the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries.

According to the chairman, the reason given by the NNPC on why the nation’s refineries are not working is not satisfactory to the committee.

He said,:”The House probe panel is determined to ascertain the actual cost of rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries”.

In a response to the questions of the Panel, Vice President Sub-Saharan Africa region and managing director (Nigeria) Tecnimont, Davide Pelizzola confirmed that the contract was awarded in 2019 at $49 million by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to Technimont.

Pelizzola admitted that the approved $50 million is for the first phase of the refurbishment of Refineries over the country.

However, further inquiries by the committee divulged that the Port Harcourt refinery currently under construction is being handled by a Japanese firm and not Maire Tecnimont as claimed.

The Executive Director Refining of the NNPC, Philip Chukwu, said that the first advance payment was 10 percent of the amount, adding that the second will be five percent.

He added that Mr. Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director GMD of the NNPC, has been asked to be excused by the committee as he was having a top management meeting with staff.