President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to begin the review of all payments made in respect of subsidies on petrol and kerosene.
He also directed the commission to take all necessary steps to prosecute anybody found culpable of malfeasance, fraud, over-invoicing and related illegalities in an open and transparent manner.
The President’s directive was conveyed to the commission’s acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in a letter dated January 13, 2012.
Copies of the letter were made available to State House correspondents on Sunday.
The letter read, “You will recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria has over the years run a subsidy regime in petroleum imports where the difference between the cost of importation and the pump price is paid for by the government of Nigeria to pre-approved oil marketing companies and importers.
“Over the years, this bill has grown exponentially to unsustainable levels.
“To now deepen my reforms and ensure that we root out all forms of corruption and abuse within the subsidy regime, I have sought and obtained the approval of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to formally invite the EFCC to immediately review and investigate all payments made in respect of subsidies checked against actual importations and to take all necessary steps to prosecute any person(s) involved in any incidence of malfeasance, fraud, over-payments and related illegalities.
“Please be assured of the full cooperation of my office with this investigation, as I have directed all officials of PPPRA and related agencies in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to make themselves available in the event of any interviews.”
The minister asked Lamorde to contact her if he needed additional information on the matter.
In a separate statement on Sunday, Alison-Madueke said the step was taken based on her conviction that the protests that followed the removal of subsidies on petrol on January 1 were indications that Nigerians were demanding better accountability and transparency in the oil industry.
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