A forensic audit of the account of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan.
This is to enable it to establish the amount of money the oil giant has failed to remit to the Federation Account.
The indication of the audit was given by Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala when she appeared at the National Assembly while defending the allocation of missing $20billion – raised by the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Yesterday, while requesting Sanusi to defend the allegation against him by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said: “Furthermore, in keeping with its avowed commitment to full transparency, openness and accountability in governmental affairs, the Federal Government has authorized the engagement of reputable international firms for the recommended forensic audit of NNPC accounts.
The Presidency challenged Sanusi to defend himself against the allegations raised against him.
It insisted that Sanusi’s suspension had nothing to do with his allegation of unmerited money to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Abati said Sanusi is spreading false allegations because he has an axe to grind with the government.
He said: “We have noted with disappointment, the unrelenting attempt by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to falsely portray his recent suspension from office as an attempt by the Presidency to bury his allegation that huge sums of money due to the Federation Account are unaccounted for by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“The Presidency wishes to reaffirm that Mallam Sanusi’s suspension has absolutely nothing to do with his unproven and inconsistent claim that $49.8 Billion, $12 Billion or $20 Billion is missing from the national treasury.
“As was clearly stated in the letter suspending him from office and confirmed by President Goodluck Jonathan in his last Presidential Media Chat, Mallam Sanusi’s suspension was wholly based on the need for him to step aside while the weighty charges of financial recklessness, gross misconduct and persistent disregard for laid down rules and regulations in the management of the Central Bank made against him by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and others are properly investigated.
“It is most unfortunate that instead of trying to provide some reasonable response to the clear and unambiguous query of his official conduct as Governor of the Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi has cynically chosen to whip up public sympathy for himself and anger against the Federal Government by deliberately misleading unwary Nigerians and the international community into believing the falsehood that he is being punished for exposing corruption.
“In recent days, the suspended CBN governor has, following in the footsteps of others who have an axe to grind with the government, taken to spreading his false claims and allegations through gullible foreign media correspondents, telling them among other thing that his threat to force commercial banks to open up their books to unravel the whereabouts of the “missing” funds whether $49.8 Billion, $12 Billion or $20 Billion, ultimately led to his suspension.
“He also continues to make the mischievous claim that the government is somehow involved in a scam to divert huge sums of money from the Federation Account through the misappropriation of kerosene subsidy funds.”
According to Abati, relevant committees of the National Assembly are still investigating the claims and that the suspended CBN governor is free to give evidence before them to back up his allegations.
“The Presidency condemns Mallam Sanusi’s resort to playing politics with serious national issues. His suggestion that the phantom missing funds may have been diverted to fund campaigns for next year’s general elections is mischievous, irresponsible and designed to incite other political parties and members of the public against the Federal Government.” (0)
President Jonathan approves forensic audit of NNPC account
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