By Jonathan Ugbal
The three Senators representing Cross River State at the 10th Senate have been appointed heads of committees that have been termed as “juicy” in the past.
The Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio revealed the names of the Chairmen and their Vice of standing committees which will serve as the primary oversight body for different Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and other parastatals of Government during plenary on Monday.
Third-term legislator and Chairman of the Cross River Senate Caucus, Jarigbe Agom who represents Cross River North district will serve as Chairman of the Committee on Gas while his counterpart from Ondo South district and first-term legislator, Jimoh Ibrahim will serve as Vice Chairman.
The committee’s oversight will cut across various MDAs including the now privatized Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPCL, Ministry of Petroleum, and will likely investigate the failed Make Up Gas deal by the Federal Government.
Senator Eteng Jones Williams who is the Senator representing Cross River Central and was Speaker of the 9th Cross River House of Assembly will serve as Chairman, Senate Committee on upstream petroleum while his counterpart from Kwara Central, Senator Mustapha Salihu will serve as Vice Chairman. Both are first-term legislators.
The upstream sector of the petroleum industry deals with exploration and production. The committee will oversee the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, NNPCL among others.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr, another first-term legislator representing Cross River South district will head the committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Third-term legislator, Senator Darlington Nwokocha representing Abia Central will serve as Vice Chairman.
The perception of the NDDC is terrible as per reports with a former Chairman of the Board, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba once quoted as saying that he was described as the “Chairman of the other stock exchange,” due to the trading in contracts awarded by the commission.
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