The Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament says it is disappointed with failure by officials from National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) to appear before the Committee yesterday Tuesday.

The Committee summoned Nocma to explain measures it has put in place to deal with the current fuel crisis.

But according to the Committee’s Chairperson Simplex Chithyola Banda, officials from the company gave an excuse for failing to avail themselves before the parliamentary committee.

He said: “They have given an excuse that they can’t make it today, the Committee subpoenaed them to appear before us.

“We are yet to get reasons why they failed but we believe that since they were invited by Parliament, they will honour the invitation by making sure that they come before Parliament.”

Chithyola Banda added that the interface has been rescheduled to this coming Friday.

The powers of every Parliamentary Committee include summoning or subpoenaing any person to attend and give evidence before a Committee at a stated time and place.

In addition, requiring any person to disclose and produce to the Committee any papers and records in that person’s control, possession and custody relevant to the Committee’s proceedings.

“There are consequences which I cannot tell now because our hope is that they will come and appear before the Committee, we have actually told Secretariat to write them again emphasising the need for them to come before this Committee,” he said.

According to Standing Order 151 (2) on Powers of Committees, if any person summoned to attend before a Committee or to produce papers and records does not comply with the summons, the Committee may report this fact to the Assembly which may invoke the provisions of the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.