The Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) on Thursday raised the red flag over what it termed an orchestrated campaign of calumny designed to tarnish the reputation of the Corporation by some unscrupulous elements.
In a Press Release signed by Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, the NNPC sited the deliberate misrepresentation of the presentation made by the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) before the Joint House Committee probing the Berne Declaration Report as an example of the well-choreographed negative campaign against the Corporation.
Some of the reports had sensational headlines alleging that NEITI had uncovered fresh unremitted $22.8 billion oil revenue by the NNPC. However the body of the stories were totally different from the headlines in terms of message and content,’’ Dr. Ibrahim said.
He noted that careful perusal of the original presentation made by the NEITI Executive Secretary indicates that the sensational headlines were mere inventions calculated to cast aspersion on the image of the Corporation and heat up the polity.
“We wish to state that there is nothing farther from the truth. NNPC has a copy of the presentation made by Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, Executive Secretary of NEITI, and nowhere did she allege that NNPC failed to remit $22.8 billion to the Federation Account. We are convinced that there is a conspiracy by some groups or individuals to drag down the name of the Corporation by whatever means possible,’’ He said.
He concluded that despite the obvious negative campaign against the Corporation, the Management of the NNPC under Engr. Andrew Yakubu remains undaunted and determined to achieve its mandate.
Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim
Acting Group General Manager
Group Public Affairs Division
NNPC, Abuja
27/02/14
