The Senate on Tuesday resolved to investigate N11 trillion spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the nation’s refineries between 2010 and 2023 to forestall further waste of public resources.
Over one decade, the Federal Government has been importing fuel into the country.
The Senate’s decision to investigate money budgeted for the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi who enumerated how the Federal Government had been releasing money since 2010 till 2023 for the TAM without achieving desired results.
The Senate, after robust debate on the motion, set up an ad hoc committee to investigate N11 trillion expended on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) within 13 years chaired by Senator Idaho Jubril.
Other members of the Committee are Senator Sani Musa, Senator Danjuma Goje , Senator Adamu Ailero, Senator Ismaili Kawu, Senator Tokunbo Abiru , Senator Abdullaahi Yahaya among others.
Leading a debate on the motion, Senator Karimi lamented that the nation’s refineries have become a money pit considering the amount spent by the Federal Government for over one decade without tangible result.
He added that rehabilitation contracts have become conduit for syphoning government money while citizens continue to groan over high cost of petroleum products due to moribund situation of the state owned refineries.
According to him, between 2010 and now, Nigeria is estimated to have spent N11.35 trillion excluding other costs in other currencies which include $952 million, €4 million and £3.4 million, on renovation of refineries , yet they are unproductive.
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“The Federal government of Nigeria has spent over N6 trillion between 2010 and 2020 on fuel subsidy due to Nigeria’s low refining capacity and has spent almost twice the amount on TAM in Port Harcourt , Kaduna and Warri between 2010 and 2022 .
“Despite the moribund state of four refineries, the operating cost of these refineries between 2010-2020 is estimated at N4.8 trillion.”
The motion was seconded by Senator Idaho who spoke in support of the motion, saying that before payment is made on a contract, there must be a certificate before payment.
After deliberation on the motion, Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jubrin who presided over the plenary session, set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the matter.
In his remarks, Barau said , “The matter is something that touches on our country; the economic wellbeing of our country. It is said that if we had these refineries in operation, probably we would not be going through the economic hardship we are in now because whatever we are having is turned towards the importation of refined products and it is eating deep into our finances.
“There is even the thinking, which may be true, that some people out there are sabotaging the efforts of the government to make the refineries operational because they are the ones involved in the importation of refined petroleum products.
“So, it is therefore very important that a thorough investigation should be done to make sure that everything that we need to know is brought open to us. Who are those who are sabotaging the efforts of the government?
“Anybody who has a hand in sabotaging the efforts of the government to bring these refineries into operation and those who have taken money that is meant to turn around these refineries must be brought to book. We must know them and decisive actions must be taken.
“The Senate is the highest assembly in this country and the entire government, we will work together to make sure that we deal with the matter decisively.”
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