You’re unfair to us, Baru accuses NASS over alleged claims of violation of processes

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Maikanti Baru, has accused the National Assembly of being unfair to the corporation for allegeing that it violated processes in subsidising Premium Motor Spirit, widely known as petrol.

Baru made the accusation in Abuja on Thursday on the sidelines of the 2018/2019 bid opening for NNPC insurance contractors at the headquarters of the corporation.

He said: “At the time that we had no fuel, the National Assembly was on our neck and they said they gave us two weeks to clear fuel queues. We did what was right, cleared the fuel queues. Now that they are in the comfort of driving and feeling comfortable, they now say that we violated processes in the process of removing the fuel queues.

“I think it’s quite unfair because the way that people perceive the NNPC requires that they should give us the benefit of doubt and ask us what the issue is and we are always ready to explain. We are very transparent and do our work with integrity and accountability.”

Read also: 2018 budget records N1.1trn deficit in 8 months

It would be recalled that the Senate began an investigation of the alleged diversion of $1.05bn from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas dividend account by the NNPC earlier in the month.

This is apart from the one from an earlier investigation by the Senate into illegal payments by the NNPC to augment the shortfalls between the landing cost and pump price of petrol.

Speaking further, Baru denied claims that it was not transparent in its dealings.

“Being the CEO of NNPC, I’ve learnt that a lot of people don’t know what the corporation is. So I give them the benefit of doubt and I am very patient to explain to people what the NNPC is and how NNPC is working.

“In terms of transparency and accountability, I can guarantee you that there is no other government agency that is more open than us. We are the first government agency, and I think the only one, that is still publishing its accounts on a monthly basis and unfailingly”, Baru said.

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