Reps constitute committees on petroleum user charge for roads

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the implementation and remittance of the five per cent user charge on the pump price of petroleum products for road maintenance on Tuesday inaugurated two stakeholders’ Committees to address issues surrounding the collection and disbursement of the charges.

The user charge, contained in the Act establishing the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, provides that 40 per cent of the proceeds will accrue to FERMA while 60 per cent is to be utilised by the state road maintenance agencies.

The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Francis Waive (APC, Delta), said the two committees were expected to look into the pre-Tax Act and the post-Tax Act situations, and identify possible areas of conflict with the FERMA Act.

“The five per cent user charge had over the years not been operationalised,” Waive said

According to him, the terms of reference of the committees include “Specifying modalities, procedures and processes for collection and disbursement, recommending specific modalities for personnel, opening of beneficiary bank account for remittance of collections, identifying and specifying roles to be played by specific relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as identifying gaps and conflicts of policies, and realignment for further legislative actions.”

Addressing the committees, Waive said, “This is a national assignment, not a personal business. It is for our roads to be as good as other roads elsewhere. We can make a difference for our country. So take this seriously.

“I want to appeal, and trust that you’re going to work diligently without bias, without fear or favour.”

Members of the committees was drawn from FERMA, the Nigeria Petroleum Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.

Others include Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, National Association of Road Transport Owners, Petroleum refinery owners and Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria.