No N20bn Paid To Ghost Consultants, NNPC Limited Clarifies Misleading Report

… Says N18bn Tax Liability To Ogun State Being Challenged In Court

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd has denied report published by an online media platform (Not THE WHISTLER) that it paid the sum of N20bn to ghost consultants.

The National Oil Company also debunked the report published by the same media platform about its refusal to pay Back Duty Tax Liability of about N18bn.

In a statement issued on Tuesday morning and signed by the Garba Deen Muhammad, Chief Corporate Communications Officer NNPC Limited, the National Oil Company warned Sahara Reporters against publishing reports on it’s operations without verification.

The NNPC Ltd said in the statement that as a responsible corporate organization, it does not have or deal with ghost consultants.

It said that the process of engaging consultants whenever the need arises is clear and verifiable and such action follow global best practices.

The statement reads in part, “The NNPC Ltd read with utmost dismay, a report by an online platform Sahara Reporters alleging paying the sum of N20bn to ghost consultants and theft of multi-billion Naira tax due to the Ogun State Government.

“The NNPC Ltd wishes to state that as a responsible corporate organization, it does not have or deal with ghost consultants.

“At NNPC Ltd, the process of engaging consultants whenever the need arises is clear and verifiable and follow global best practices.

“It is therefore unfortunate that for whatever reason, the said online platform would make such a grievous allegation, mindless of the consequences of such actions. The claim of a missing N20bn is absolutely false and baseless.

“The NNPC Ltd therefore demands that Sahara Reporters retracts the said publication immediately; and going forward, the platform should verify its facts before going to press.”

On the N18bn Back Duty Tax, the NNPC said the liability was against one of its subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) Ltd.

For clarity, it said that the PPMC had objected and challenged the claim through its Tax Consultant.

Consequently, the NNPC said in the statement that the Ogun State Government took the matter to court which is not unusual in business circles.

The statement added, “The second component of the said unfortunate report is related to Ogun State Government claiming a back duty tax liability of about N18bn, against an NNPC subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) Ltd.

“For clarity, PPMC had objected and challenged the claim through its Tax Consultant. Consequently, the Ogun State Government took the matter to court which is not unusual in business circles.

“The matter is currently before the court and NNPC Ltd will prove its case accordingly.

“In conclusion, NNPC Ltd strongly advises the said online publication to be mindful of the consequences of its actions before taking them.

“For a matter that is already in court, as admitted by the online publication, it is sad that any medium can arrive at such subjudice conclusions as shown by the actions of the online medium.