The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition has summoned AGIP Oil Company, over failure to pay $80 million owed indigenous contractors.
The Oil Company is to appear before the Committee on June 26, at the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja.
The Committee expressed displeasure over the non-payment to De Cooon Services Ltd and the non-appearance of AGIP Oil at its investigative hearing.
The Committee Chairman, Rep Michael Etaba, said that not paying an indigenous company for a job well done and patronizing foreigners for the same job was unfortunate.
He added that the act was capable of frustrating indigenous contractors, pointing that it would not augur well to drive Nigeria out of business while encouraging foreigners.
“It’s high time Nigerians began to take themselves seriously,” Etaba said.
In his contributions, a member of the Committee, Rep Matthew Mogu, said the non-appearance of AGIP was disrespectful.
“It’s unfortunate that people who are supposed to be accountable to Nigerians are not.
“When a Committee like this is mandated by the constitution to handle issues concerning lives of Nigerians, it summons an organization, but the refusal should call for worry.
“I don’t know who is protecting who, but no one is above the law; the only people who have immunity are State Governors and the President of the country.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Coon Oil Company, Prof Nelson Onubogu in his response noted that the invitation was well advertised in the media, adding that AGIP deliberately, shunned the Public Hearing.
He said that the matter started more than five years ago, saying that a situation where a Nigerian company is being strangled by an Italian firm was unfortunate.
“They owe my company over 80 million Dollars, paid by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL. The NNPCL has paid the money, but it was diverted out of Nigeria.
“AGIP Oil Company used some cronies to take this money out of Nigeria, and they refused to pay the Nigerian company.
“AGIP took all my cancelled contracts and gave them to my staff, while they were working for me.
“All I am saying here is that AGIP should pay my money; AGIP should be mandated by the NNPCL to pay my money.”
He, however, stated that he would not settle for anything other than to get his entitlement.
“I don’t believe in the middle ground; the right thing should be done; they owe me, and they should pay my money and restore all my contracts as awarded to me.
“There are rules and regulations for terminating and awarding contracts in Nigeria.”
He said he was ready for a peaceful resolution of the impasse, provided AGIP obeyed, adding that; “no one could tell him to forgo his money.”
