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Drama as PPPRA Fails to Present Documents Justifying payment of N131m as Legal Fees before Senate

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Adekunle Adesuji, Abuja

 

Members of Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) were amazed as  Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) now known as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), failed to present documents justifying payment of N131 million as legal fee to external solicitor.

 

 

The Auditor General of the Federation in 2018 Audited report had query the agency for payment of N131 million as legal consultancy fees.

 

 

But, when the Chairman of the Committee , Senator Mathew Urhoghide asked the Officials of PPPRA to present the evidence for the payment of N131 million as legal consultancy fees to external solicitors.

 

The lawmakers wondered that how could PPPRA paid that sum of money paid such amount to external solicitors when you  in-house legal department that is competent to handle such cases.

 

 

The Panel members also observed that the consent of Attorney General of Federation not was obatined before engagement and before legal fees were agreed upon in accordance with extant circular and there is no evidence of any deliverables in the contract agreement before payment was made

 

However, Officials of the PPPRA were unable to present document to justify payment of the N131 million as legal consultancy fees to external solicitors.

 

Instead , the representative of the agency, General Manager Account, Dele Adewumi told the lawmakers that the agency was in urgent need of continuous legal representation in various cases initiated against the Federal government by Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

 

 

The PPPRA official added the agency considered it more efficient and financial prudent to engage the external solicitors.

 

 

 

The query reads, ” N131 million was paid to staff of Messes Ahmed Uwais and co legal practitioner for retainership and consultancy service from 1st January- December 2017

 

 

” Ti ensure probity and accountability in management of public’s funds and to ensure prudence and control of legal services provided by private legal practitioners for government matters, the office of the Solicitors General of the Federation issued a circular Ref No SGF/PS/CIR/624/1 if 1st July 2003 seeking the consent of the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation prior to engagement and payment external solicitors.

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