Loading ...The All Progressives Congress (APC) has renewed its call on the
Federal Government to probe the whereabouts of the dividends paid to
the NNPC by the NLNG, as well as the taxes paid to the FIRS Federation
Account prior to the latest payment in June 2015.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the call has become
more urgent against the backdrop of published reports that the NNPC
has withdrawn $1.2 billion from banks so it could place the money with
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
It said the move by the NNPC is a panic reaction to the expose by the
party (APC) that over $4 billion dollars are missing in past dividends
paid to the NNPC by the NLNG.
”Whereas NLNG’s dividends are paid to NNPC’s account with JP Morgan,
from where they are supposed to be paid into the Federation Account in
accordance with the law, some unscrupulous officials of the
corporation have apparently been moving such funds to local banks so
they can collect huge commissions on them.
”Now that the cat has been let out of the bag, they have started
moving the funds from the banks to the CBN. We believe what we are
seeing now is just a tip of the iceberg, hence the need for the
authorities to call the NNPC officials to give accounts of the paid
NLNG dividends to date,” APC said.
The party said any delay in calling the officials to account for the
dividends may give them enough time to cover their tracks, in addition
to the dangers posed to the banks – and by extension the economy – by
the sudden withdrawal of such a huge fund from the NNPC accounts with
them.
”The top officials officials of the NNPC and others who met on Monday
and decided to withdraw the $1.2 billion from the corporation’s
account to the CBN must be asked a number of questions, including
their motive for the decision and the whereabouts of the commissions
paid on such funds,” it said.
APC insisted that despite the attempt to pull the wool over the eyes
of Nigerians, the FG must remain undaunted in unraveling what happened
to the dividends as well as previous taxes paid by the NLNG, as part
of ongoing efforts to plug all financial leakages, ensure the payment
into the Federation Account of all relevant funds and stop the looting
of the treasury by unscrupulous public officials who have opted to
abuse their office.
”It is not by accident that until the advent of the Buhari
Administration that has decided to enthrone transparency in
governance, no one has heard anything about NLNG dividends and taxes,
while the funds therefrom have not been shared as they should have
been. This is not right.
”A situation in which funds meant for all Nigerians are eaten up by a
few will no longer be tolerated. Those who are opposed to the efforts
by the Buhari Administration to clear the rot left behind by the past
government and restore transparency to the system are enemies of
Nigeria,” the party said.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
