Okonjo-Iweala, CBN gov, others stall N273bn SURE-P probe

ABSENCE of Coordinating Minister of Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke and Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Lamido Sanusi, stalled an inquest by the House of Representatives into the implementation and management of about N273 billion Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE- P) fund.

Others who failed to honour the invitation included Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu; Minister of Transport, Idris Abdullahi Umar and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Jonah Otunla.

The House had mandated its committees on Petroleum Downstream and Finance to probe the management of the said  fund and a public hearing scheduled by the panel could not hold, owing to the absence of the key officials.

Chairman of the committee, Honourable Dakuku Peterside, in his reaction to the development, said the action of the ministers and CBN governor was “intentional disrespect for parliament and its proceedings.”

Before postponing the public hearing, Honourable Peterside claimed that “aside SURE-P chairman, Dr Christopher Kolade, all other invitees did not inform me or the committee of reasons why they could not appear at the meeting.”

He, however, announced February 12 as the new date for the public hearing.