by Akan Ido

Reginald Stanley, the executive secretary of the petroleum product price regulatory authority (PPPRA) could not believe his ears yesterday when he was ordered out of the venue of the National Assembly Joint Session scrutinizing the 2013  budget of the Agency.

He was reportedly sent packing for being unable to give a clear account of the amount which accrued from the sale of kerosene at 15 kobo per litre.

Both Senator Magnus Abe, the chairman of the petroleum downstream sub-sector and Honourable Peterside Dakuku, his House of Representatives counterpart gave the order showing their displeasure at the perceived incompetence of the PPPRA Executive Secretary.

They also expressed their displeasure at the agency’s use of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) amounting to N5,725,920,535.00, as running cost for the payment of salaries to 249 staff of PPPRA.

According to Senator Abe: “What we want to bring to our attention is the attitude of some of our operators in the sector who always think that except appropriations are drawn directly from the consolidated revenue fund, they are not accountable to parliament for it.

“I want to make it very clear that except the money that you get from your father’s farm or your grandfather’s farm is spent, any money that comes through you, or to you or is expended through any agency as part of the public responsibility is subject to review by the people of Nigeria and the National Assembly that represents the interests of the people of Nigeria,” he said.

We shall watch to see how this case of alleged incompetence and misappropriation is determined by the lawmakers.