ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday received the forensic report on the activities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), following the allegations that $20 billion was not remitted to the nation’s coffers.
He has assured that the report would be handed over to the professionals led by the Auditor-General of the Federation for swift action in order to satisfy the yearning of Nigerians who demanded to know the true story behind the alleged missing funds.
Former Central Bank Governor, Charles Soludo, had also alleged that N30 trillion have not been accounted for by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Soludo in an article widely published by online news blogs on Sunday had said that a year after Okonjo-Iweala promised forensic audit report of the NNPC, it was still ‘missing’.
Soludo had said in his response to Okonjo-Iweala’s attack of his tenure in office said, “Now add the ‘missing’ $20 billion from the NNPC. You promised a forensic audit report ‘soon’, and more than a year later the Report itself is still ‘missing’. This is over N4 trillion, and we don’t know how much more has ‘missed’ since Sanusi cried out. How many trillions of naira were paid for oil subsidy (unappropriated?). How many trillions (in actual fact) have been ‘lost’ through customs duty”.
Okonjo-Iweala, had disclosed during a debate at the 24th edition of the World Economic Forum for Africa, in May last year that government had appointed forensic auditors to carry out a detailed investigation into the activities of the NNPC.
The Presidency had on March 12, 2014 announced through a statement issued by the Presidential spokesman Dr. Reuben Abati that it had authorised the engagement of reputable international firms to carry out the forensic audit of the accounts of the NNPC.
It had commissioned the forensic audit in reaction to the claim made by the then suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, that his decision to expose corruption in the management of oil revenue led to his travails.
It stated then that Sanusi’s suspension had nothing to do with an attempt to cover up his allegation that funds due to the Federation Account were unaccounted for by the NNPC.
Sanusi, had stated that $20 billion was not remitted to the federation account by the NNPC.
Sanusi had come under attacks following his letter to President Jonathan that $49 billion was not remitted to the federation account by the NNPC.
Presenting the report earlier, the country senior partner of PriceWaterhouse f Nigeria, Uyi Akpata, said the firm just finished its work and were in the State House to submit the report.
According to her, “It is a privilege for us to have carried this exercise out on behalf of the government and I hope that you will find this report useful”.
President Jonathan in his remarks, said the submission of the report was timely in view of the controversy that has trailed the alleged missing funds from the NNPC.
He said the firm had earlier said it was ready with an interim report but he rejected it and insisted that a full report must be made in view of the interest of Nigerians in the matter.
He said, “There has been so much of controversy over this NNPC and leakages or no leakages.
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“I remember the Senate have also looked into it, it is also good that you professionals have also looked into it.
“What appears in the papers and the speculations is also very high, the figures that I cannot even imagine the country will make is being bandied in the newspapers.
“So I am quiet please that you have taken the forensic audit. Though it is voluminous, I will give it to the professionals.
“In government work, there are people that have the statutory responsibilities to handle such assignment which is the auditor general of the federation.
“So the auditor General will look at it and within the week, let us into key highlights because the media will want to know the key findings vis a vis the senate findings and figured being bandied around in the newspaper, but Nigerians are interested.
“Indeed you mentioned the issue of reform in the sector, everybody knows that the sector needs to be reformed, by the time we go through the petroleum industry bill and pass it into a law, most of this lapses will be corrected and the misconception will be properly addressed.
“I thank you for the good work you have done and I believe it will help us to move things forward and set things right and I promise we will handle it decisively.
“Nigerians don’t need to be scared, this is something that Nigerians are interested in. They wanted to submit an interim report, but I said no, there must conclude this matter, because it is a forensic audit and there is no room for interim report so they must go back and conclude it and luckily they have concluded it.
“I hope we will not call them back, but where need be, we will call them back if there are issues that are not so clear, but we are happy with what we have done so far.
“I assure you that this is a precious document that the accountant General will keep and I will have my own copy, because even if you leave office, maybe when I write my memoir I will use some part of it. But the kind of figure people bandy in the paper look so ridiculous”.
