From Premium Times;
The Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF), Samuel Ukura,
on Tuesday blamed the inability of his office to publish the report of the
forensic audit on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over the
missing $20 billion oil fund on presidential interest.
on Tuesday blamed the inability of his office to publish the report of the
forensic audit on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over the
missing $20 billion oil fund on presidential interest.
He said the the Goodluck Jonathan presidency had far more
special interest in the matter than his own office and the auditors.
special interest in the matter than his own office and the auditors.
Several months after PriceWaterhouseCoopers Limited
completed investigations into the allegation of unremitted oil revenues, the
report was not released to the public despite demands by Nigerians.
completed investigations into the allegation of unremitted oil revenues, the
report was not released to the public despite demands by Nigerians.
On Sunday, April 27, President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, had
threatened that his administration would probe the allegations on assumption of
office if the report was not made public.
threatened that his administration would probe the allegations on assumption of
office if the report was not made public.
Apparently reacting to Mr. Buhari’s threat, President
Goodluck Jonathan on Monday ordered immediate release of the report to
Nigerians.
Goodluck Jonathan on Monday ordered immediate release of the report to
Nigerians.
Presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati, said the decision
to release of the full report was to demonstrate that the present
administration had nothing to hide over the matter.
to release of the full report was to demonstrate that the present
administration had nothing to hide over the matter.
But in a response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request
by Premium Times, the AuGF blamed the long delay by his office in releasing the
full audit report on the Presidency.
by Premium Times, the AuGF blamed the long delay by his office in releasing the
full audit report on the Presidency.
In response to this newspaper’s request for the document,
days before the presidency released it,
Mr. Ukura said he was not in a position to release the report because
the presidency has “great interest” in the information contained therein.
days before the presidency released it,
Mr. Ukura said he was not in a position to release the report because
the presidency has “great interest” in the information contained therein.
“After a careful review of the information, it is my
considered opinion that the Presidency has a great interest in the
information,” the auditor general, said through his representative, Uche
Okafor-Agbi.
considered opinion that the Presidency has a great interest in the
information,” the auditor general, said through his representative, Uche
Okafor-Agbi.
He therefore advised Premium Times to redirect its request
for the report to the presidency which had custody of the document.
for the report to the presidency which had custody of the document.
“You may wish to channel your application accordingly,” Mr.
Ukura said.
Ukura said.
Mr. Ukura’s letter to Premium Times was apparently
dispatched hours before the presidency released the audit report but it arrived
this newspaper’s office hours after the document had been made public.
dispatched hours before the presidency released the audit report but it arrived
this newspaper’s office hours after the document had been made public.
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