By Ashraf Abdul Wahab.
Tripoli, 28 April, 2014:
The Minister of Justice has announced the formation of a committee to investigate whether there . . .[restrict]have been any financial irregularities in the sale of oil from point of the liberation until now.
The move was one of the key conditions set by Ibrahim Jadhran for lifting the blockade of the eastern oil terminals. It is also seen as one of the easier ones to agree, being the least contentious.
The committee consists of the following;
- Ahmed Musbah Jebril Lashad (chairman)
- Abdel-Jalil Mohamed Almayouf Alobaidi
- Abdel-Salam Mohamed AbdelSalam Shareif
- Mahmoud Mohamed Jima Alkhuwaildi
- Kamal Araef Mohamed Almuntasir
- Salem Abu Bakr Salem Alfituri
Jadhran’s demand sfor back payment for his men and for “expenses” during the blockade is unlikely to be so easily accepted.
A letter purporting to come from the Chief of Staff, Major-General Abdusalam Jadallah Obeidi, and addressed to the Prime Minister, has been circulating on social media which says that Jadhran has demanded salary arrears for his men from 1 April 2013 to 31 December 2013 amounting to LD 297 million.
In addition he wants LD 77 million for the costs of fuel, equipment and wear and tear on vehicles. Deducting LD 100 million, which the letter says Jadhran has already received for salary payments, the Obeidi supposedly says LD 274 is still outstanding and should be paid “as soon as possible”.
Asked about the veracity of the letter, the spokesman for the General Staff, Ali Sheikhi, said he could not confirm the figures or whether the letter was real as he was not aware of either.
However, because the men who supported Jadhran had been members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard and, as such, came under the Chief of Staff, any monies owing to them would have to be paid through the Chief of Staff’s office.
Earlier this month, the PFG said that members of the guard supporting Jadhran had been paid until the end of November. [/restrict]
