The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, says the company has no secret bank accounts anywhere.
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the company, Mr. Mele Kyari made the disclosure at the resumed hearing of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee Investigating the Joint Venture engagement since 1990 to date, in Abuja.
He said that he will provide the details of the accounts the NNPCL operated with regards to the Joint Venture (JV) businesses and Production Sharing Contracts, PSCs.
” This company is owned by two hundred million Nigerians who you represent. We are accountable to the Nigerian people and the national assembly. We will do everything possible to corporate and provide every data or information that will be required by this committee in the discharge of its duties.
“More than anything, we are together in preserving value for our country through all investments we have made over the years and as we continue to make sure this value comes to our country. We have no reservations around any data or information that the committee may require for any purpose within the discharge of its duties that it is constitutionally required to perform.
“Having said this, let me put it on record, Chairman, that there is no account that the NNPC operates that is not known to the government and the Accountant General of the Federation. We always submit the list of the accounts we operate. We make sure that we have appropriate approvals at all times to establish any account for this company. “
He insisted that there was no secret account that the company holds as all their accounts are known to the government.
“Secondly, if there is any information that the accountant general requires, we have two set of accounts, the accounts operated by the NNPC and also accounts operated by our joint venture partners on our behalf. So, there are two separate sets of accounts. But I don’t know what information you are looking for that you do not have. Mr. Chairman, I can tell you any information you need, I will give you directly.
“You do not need to go through anyone to get these accounts. We will give you full details of all these accounts. So, I have absolve them of any responsibility. I will give you all the information that you want so that they cannot disclaim. I will give it to you directly.” Kyari said.
The Chairman of the Committee Hon. Abubakar Fulata, said that the aim of the investigation was not to witch hunt any agency but to make sure that the government was not cheated by any agency or organization.
He was however not happy with some agencies that have continuously refused to appear before the committee.
The Committee also grilled the Managing Director of Chevron Nig. Limited, Rick Kennedy and the Officer in charge of the Joint Venture agreement, Monday Ovuwhede on their involvement in the project.
The Committee Chairman directed Chevron to write to the committee justifying the payment, and also provide a timeline of the venture.
Similarly, the Director Technical Services of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr Dieter Bassi in his presentation on Joint Venture agreements, said that the project has Chevron, Elf Petroleum, Mobil producing Nigeria unlimited, Agip oil, Shell petroleum, Texaco oil, NNPC/NAOC/Phillips as stakeholders.
Hauwa Abu
