The Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Petroleum Resources has adjourned hearing on the 2024 budget of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to Monday, Dec. 18 following the absence key officials of the ministry on Thursday.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Sen. Abdulaziz Yari (APC-Zamfara). Moving the motion, Yari said that the committee was constrained to adjourn following the absence of the ministers.
He said the officials should be given a second chance to appear for the defence.
Earlier, the Chairman, House Committee of Petroleum Resources (Upstream) Rep. Ado Doguwa (APC-Kano) said that the absence of the ministers was a sign of disrespect to the parliament.
Doguwa said that should the ministers failed to appear on Monday, the committee would invoke relevant sections of the Constitution to compel them to appear.
In his ruling, the Chairman of the committee, Sen. Agom Jarigbe (PDP-Cross River) said that the ministers should appear before the committee and account for the 2023 budget.