The Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, has debunked an online publication by the Premium Times with the title “Reps Panel Summon NEPC MD over Status of $1.67bn Crude Oil Revenue”.
NEPC in a statement signed by Head, of Corporate Communications, Ndubueze Okeke said the online publication which was published on June 5, 2023, is false and capable of misleading the general public and stakeholders in the non-oil export sector, thereby bringing the Council into disrepute.
According to the statement, “The NEPC is statutorily mandated to develop and promote the diversification of the economy through the export of non-oil products and services.”
“In this wise, the NEPC, pursuant to its mandate is not and has never been charged with regulating or coordinating the export of crude oil or otherwise since it was established in 1976.”
“Indeed the NEPC’s objectives and functions as encapsulated in the Nigerian Export Promotion Council Act, Cap NI08, Laws of the Federation 2004, is to specifically promote non-oil export as against promoting crude oil export,” it stated.
“It is therefore ironic that the publication by Premium Times is now foisting a role on the NEPC that is quite at variance with its fundamental objectives.”
The statement explained that the Chief Executive Officer of the NEPC who is charged with the day-to-day running of the Office is designated as “Executive Director” and not “Managing Director (MD) as stated in the online publication.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is imperative to state that; the NEPC has not been summoned before any Reps Panel or Committee of the House of Representatives on alleged $1.67billion crude oil revenue, the NEPC by its statutory mandate has no business with crude oil revenues and the NEPC is not a party to any suit and has never been a party to a suit involving any company in the oil sector as erroneously indicated in the story under reference.”
“The Management of NEPC, therefore, requests that you immediately retract the said publication with an unreserved apology as the said publication is capable of damaging the image of the NEPC as a reputable agency of government.”
Dominica Nwabufo
