Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – In a high-stakes inquiry before The Gambia’s National Assembly, former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum, Amie Njie, distanced herself from a controversial policy linked to a $30 million Russian oil deal. The policy, which allowed international traders to deposit petroleum products at the national storage depot, has come under scrutiny as the joint committee investigates whether it was crafted to legitimize the operations of companies dealing in fuel from a Russian ship.

The policy, implemented on October 30, 2023, was documented in a letter signed by former Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Abdou Jobe. It permitted international traders to store petroleum products at the national depot, negotiate with potential buyers, and dictate payment methods, including the use of foreign bank accounts.

Njie, who has since been redeployed to the Ministry of Information, clarified that she was not involved in the policy’s conceptualization. When questioned about the policy’s provisions, she acknowledged that many of them were operational and regulatory matters beyond the ministry’s purview.

“This document was prepared by the minister, and all I received was a draft copy sent to me by email to review,” Njie told the committee. She expressed surprise at the policy being formulated without her knowledge, noting that it is unusual for such a process to occur without the involvement of a permanent secretary.

Njie further stated that she was unaware if the policy had been submitted to the cabinet for approval, adding that she would consider it a guideline rather than a policy, given the absence of any cabinet conclusion.

The inquiry also touched on suspicions that the policy might have been designed to facilitate payments to Apogee, a company linked to oil marketing firms, and to assist in the transfer of petroleum proceeds out of The Gambia. Njie, however, dismissed these allegations as speculative, emphasizing that existing regulations governing petroleum importation and storage should take precedence over the new policy.

She also indicated that she did not believe the policy would have prevented the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) from executing its regulatory duties, including imposing fines on Ultimate Beige Logistics, a company implicated in the scandal.

The inquiry continues as lawmakers seek to unravel the full extent of the policy’s implications and its potential impact on The Gambia’s petroleum sector.

Source: Standard Newspaper