Probe: Sanusi, Okonjo-Iweala, Alison-Madueke, others shun Reps

The probe instituted by the House of Representatives into the money accruing to the country from the removal of subsidy from petrol for deployment into the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme has suffered a major setback with the principal officers of government invited refusing to show up.
Among those who failed on Tuesday to honour the invitation of the Reps committee probing the deployment of fund to the SURE-P were the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dizeani Allison-Madueke; the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu; the Minister of Transport, Idris Umar; and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla.
The Chairman of the Reps probe committee, Dakuku Peterside, said the action of the government officials amounted to “deliberate contempt.”
While announcing the postponement of the probe session to February 12, 2013, Peterside said: “We are absolutely not happy with developments today.
“You may have observed that all the critical persons we need to proceed are not here.
“Save the chairman of SURE P, Christopher Kolade, whom we excused since he obtained permission not to be at this proceeding, all the honourable ministers invited are not here.
“The CBN governor is not here and the committee interprets this to be an intentional disrespect for parliament and its proceedings.
“This is totally unacceptable to us.
“They (ministers) hold such offices in trust for the Nigerian people.
“If you don’t want to be involved in public service, please stay in your house.
“This intentional act of disrespect will not be condoned.
“I see this as deliberate contempt.
“I want to appeal that in the light of this development, we cannot proceed.
“But let me warn that we will not tolerate it again.
“As for ministers, we expect certain level of ethical conduct.
“I can’t remember anyone calling me or my clerk asking to be excused.
“However, not to rush into conclusion, the committee will give everybody one more chance and let’s see who will test the will of the National Assembly and, by extension, the will of the Nigerian people.”