The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Upstream Wednesday adjourned the investigative hearing of a case of alleged breach of contract between Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC   and De Coon  Services Limited as NAOC failed to appear before the House Committee. 


The Chairman of the Committee, Musa Adar (APC-Sokoto), made the announcement at its sitting   on Wednesday August 12, 2020 in Abuja.

Theledgerng.com reports that De Coon Services Limited had petitioned the House, accusing NAOC of refusing to pay over $30 million and N70m accrued outstanding bills for engineering jobs  executed in a contract it won via tender for the company since 2014, amongst other infractions that are inimical to the terms contained in the contract.

The Committee had on July 29, 2020 summoned NAOC, NNPC and Oando, (the other JV partners) to appear on Wednesday August 12 to explain the discrepancies and their roles in the allegations, however,  NCDMB (Nigeria Content Development Management Board) who were named in the petition 9  honoured the committee's invitation for Wednesday 12th August, and its officers were present at the hearing.

Adar explained that the Committee was postponing the hearing because Agip had refused to attend the hearing citing fears over the COVID-19 pandemic.

He however, said NAOC had indicated willingness to appear online and make submissions on the accusations, but he expressed dissatisfaction with that because the lockdown has been lifted, and even the House has been sitting daily since.