FORMER Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, was on Tuesday appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan to head a newly
constituted agency, the Petroleum Revenue Task Force.
In a statement released by the Presidency on Tuesday, the decision was hinged on the federal government’s decision to ensure that transparency is achieved in the petroleum industry.
The move by the government, according to the statement, is “consistent with the policies and promises of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Administration, and underpinned by the yearnings of the people of Nigeria for transparency in the Petroleum Industry.”
“The Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources has set up a Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force designed to enhance probity and accountability in operations of the Petroleum Industry,” the statement said.
“The Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, whose membership is listed below, is charged with the following terms of reference:
1. To work with consultants and experts to determine and verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues (taxes, royalties, etc.) due and payable to the Federal Government of Nigeria;
2. To take all necessary steps to collect all debts due and owing; to obtain agreements and enforce payment terms by all oil industry operators;
3. To design a cross debt matrix between all Agencies and Parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources;
4. To develop an automated platform to enable effective tracking, monitoring, and online validation of income and debt drivers of all Parastatals and Agencies in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources;
5. To work with world-class consultants to integrate systems and technology across the production chain to determine and monitor crude oil production and exports, ensuring at all times, the integrity of payments to the Federal Government of Nigeria; and,
6. To submit monthly reports for ministerial review and further action.
The members of the committee include Mr. Nuhu Ribadu as Chairman and Mr. Steve Oronsaye as Deputy-Chairman. The other members include Mr. Abba Kyari, Ms. Benedicta Molokwu, Mr. Sasore, Mr. Tony Idigbe, Mr. Anothy George-Ikoli, Dr. Omolara Akanji (Mrs.), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Mr. Ituah Ighodalo, Mr. Bon Otih, Mr. Olusegun Okunnu, Mallam Samaila Zubairu, Mr. Ignatius Adegunle, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe, a representative of the Federal Inland Revenue Service as Ex-Officio and a representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance, also as Ex-Officio.
A 1983 graduate of law from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Mr. Ribadu was the pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), appointed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the then-new commission tasked with countering corruption and fraud in Nigeria. In April 2009, he became a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development, in Washington DC. He lived in exile until 2010 when he returned to Nigeria and declared his intention to run for President of Nigeria under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Mr. Ribadu was called to Bar in 1984. He also earned a Master of Law degree from Ahmadu Bello University. Until his appointment, he was a TED Fellow and currently a Senior Fellow in St. Antony’s College, Oxford University in the United Kingdom.