Senate threatens IOCs for shunning summon

The Senate, on Thursday, threatened to invoke sanctions against managing directors of International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Nigeria for not honouring its invitation to an investigative hearing on diving operations in the oil and gas industry.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Teslim Folarin (APC, Oyo), issued the threat at an investigative hearing organised by the Committee on challenges experienced by diving operators in the sector.

• On Nigeria’s unity, peace and progress
• Why patronizing Made-in-Nigeria vehicles could boost local firms

At the  hearing, none of the Ministers of Labour  and  Managing  Directors of IOCs were  in attendance  for  the  hearing.

However,  representatives of the various  managing  directors of IOCs and  the Permanent  Secretary  Ministry  of Labour Employment  and  Productivity were available  to represent  their principals.

“What is surprising  is that we invited  the managing  directors  and  that  is  the  normal practice here in the National  Assembly.

“We will invite them again and if they don’t come, we will have to invoke our sanctions,” he said.

The MDs fingered include those of ExxonMobil, Total Chevron, among others.