Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and Sahara Energy boss were expected to appear before the lawmakers on Tuesday but both of them were absent, with no prior communication to the House.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ibrahim Aliyu, who described the duo’s absence as “parliamentary contempt”, expressed sadness at the lack of respect to the parliament by government agencies and private companies.
Specifically, Aliyu described the failure of the energy firm’s boss to appear before the lawmakers “as a total disregard to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a deliberate attempt to subvert the work of this committee.”
He therefore directed that the Sahara Energy’s MD must appear before the House on September 7, 2022, with all that the company was mandated to provide.
“The investigative hearing continued today and we were supposed to have in appearance Sahara Energy Limited. On Tuesday August 9, Sahara Energy appeared before the Committee and they were issues raised concerning their legal status that have to do with their company profile and it was resolved by the committee that Sahara Energy should appear today 16th August to give more clarification on their legal status and other issues as resolved by this committee.
“As you can see up till this time, Sahara Energy could not avail themselves. We regard this as a total disregard to the constitutional provisions and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a deliberate attempt to subvert the work of this committee by Sahara Energy.
“We did not receive any communication from them informing this committee of their non-appearance today. In line with this and the express mandate given to this committee by the provision of Section 88 and 89 of the constitution of Nigeria as amended, this committee hereby summons Sahara Energy to appear before it on 7th September 2022 unfailingly with all the issues they were mandated to provide before the Committee”, Aliyu said