Abuja
The Chairman of Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West) has warned foreign multinational companies to desist from activities that will shortchange the country.
Making the call over the weekend when the Managing Director of SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Limited, Mr. Guido D’ Aloisio appeared with the company’s legal counsel, Chief Henry Ajumogobia (SAN) at the ongoing Senate investigation into the Cost Variations and Local Content Elements of the $16 Billion Egina Deep-sea Oil production, Senator Adeola said “no individual or corporate body should stampede us as a country to do what is not obtainable in their country or in accordance to international best practices”.
SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Limited MD has appeared before the committee accompanied by the legal counsel who explained that he is in the best position with the “Power of Attorney” to provide answers to the Senate Committee on behalf of the managing directors of three foreign companies, SAIPEM SA, SAIPEM Portugal and SAIPEM BV.
The foreign companies are all part of a Consortium that got $2.9 billion-varied to $3.2 billion – contract of the Egina $16 billion project.
Recall that the Senate had earlier given an ultimatum for the managing directors to appear before the Senate Investigative Committee in person.
Ruling on the issue after interventions by Senator David Umaru, (APC, Niger East) the Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Senator Adeola ruled that the “Power of Attorney”, including all documents relating to the scope of work, approved variations, dollar-naira differentials in the contracts as well as the shares of each of the companies in the consortium should submitted to the Committee.
“While we are not accusing anyone of shady deals and nobody is on trial, we insist that all relevant documents be made available to the Committee so that we can present a fair and comprehensive report to the Senate for it to take decision to protect Nigeria interest and Nigerians. As it is we have uncovered huge variations running up to a billion dollars as well as serial contraventions of the Nigeria Local Content Law 2010” Senator Adeola stated.
While calling on the media not to draw any conclusion of wrongdoings in their coverage of the Committee’s proceedings as complained by SAPIEM’s legal adviser, Sen. Adeola said reportage by the press must have been done in order to protect the interest of Nigeria adding that an interim report of the Committee will be submitted in two weeks.
The Committee Chairman also directed the managing director of Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI), Mr. EJ Shin to provide evidence to justify his claims of taking away Nigeria jobs abroad from a Nigerian company, EWT Nigeria Limited over late delivery and quality, a claim denied by the Nigerian firm present at the hearing.
