NNPCL to HoR: We don’t have secret account

By Tom Okpe

Mele Kyari, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL) says the institution doesn’t have any secret account both within and outside the country reiterating its readiness to provide full information to the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating structure and accountability of Joint Venture, (JV) businesses and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) of the NNPCL.

Kyari who stated this at the resumed hearing of the committee on Wednesday, also said every account it operates is known to government and the accountant general of the federation, contrary to wrong speculations against the company.

He also said NNPC always submit list of accounts it operate, and has appropriate approvals at all times to establish any account for the company.

“I just want to put this on record. There is no secret account this company holds. There is no account that is not known to government and there is no account that we are doing out of the jurisdiction that we have over this business. It doesn’t exist.

“This company is owned by 200 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.

“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 set of accounts. But I don’t know which information you are looking for that you do not have,” Kyari stated.

Chairman of the committee, Rep Hassan Fulata however, adjourn the proceedings, urging Kyari to make all necessary documents available Tuesday, next week.