The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says it has nothing to declare, as its financial operations have been subjected to regular scrutiny by the relevant external and international auditors.
The Chief Executive of the downstream petroleum industry regulatory authority, Engr Farouk Ahmed, dismissed allegations of corruption by some groups, saying the Federal Government’s fiscal regulators, and the relevant committees of the National Assembly have always looked into its financial books and transactions.
The Public Affairs Department of the NMDPRA in a statement on Thursday challenged the groups making the allegations to come forward with verifiable documents to back up their claims.
Insisting the allegations were unfounded and devoid of any specific claim of wrongdoing, the NMDPRA said the allegations consist of only bold declarations lacking substance or detail.
Nothing that the allegations highlight the frivolity of the campaign of calumny, the statement read in part: “The Authority wishes to state unequivocally, and for the avoidance of doubt, that the allegations being peddled by some unknown groups are false, without merit, and bereft of any factual foundation.
“The absence of specific claims or verifiable details is, in itself, a clear indication of their falsity and a strong signal that these efforts are not driven by any genuine concern for accountability.”
The statement maintained that the NMDPRA was an institution anchored on the principles of transparency, accountability and compliance, adding that its fiscal and financial activities were subjected to the highest levels of regulatory scrutiny, not only internally, but also through periodic assessments by external auditors of international repute.
Also, apart from the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and the Office of the Accountant-General which always conduct routine oversight of its financial operations, the statement said the National Assembly, through its relevant committees, have always examined every aspect of the agency’s budgetary provisions and expenditure lines.
Under such a rigorous accountability framework, the NMDPRA said it was inconceivable that any credible allegation of misappropriation or abuse of office could escape detection, let alone persist without redress.
“The Authority finds it curious that a group hitherto unknown to legal or civil society circles would suddenly emerge with expensively printed banners, professionally produced placards and instant access to the media to discredit the agency,” the statement said.
The expensive venture of the campaign of calumny, the statement pointed out, shows that the resources that were far from spontaneous in either cost or coordination.
“Such energy, if truly in service of the public interest, would have been better directed toward seeking clarifications through existing institutional channels,” it said.
While the Authority said it welcomed demands for transparency and accountability, as provided for under the Freedom of Information Act and reflected in its operations, it insisted that such engagements must follow due process.
“We remain open and willing to collaborate with any group that is genuinely committed to the public interest. If the organisers of these protests and publications were truly concerned about good governance, they would have approached the Authority through the established accountability mechanisms.
“Their choice to bypass these channels and stage public spectacle only reinforces what discerning members of the public already suspect that they are out on a campaign of calumny. This is not a protest. It is a production, and the script appears to serve vested interests unsettled by the reforms being implemented in the midstream and downstream sectors of our petroleum industry,” the statement said.
Noting that Ahmed’s leadership has prioritised efficiency, transparency and the full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (2021), which seeks to sanitise the sector and ensure the equitable distribution of petroleum products nationwide, the statement said the Authority under his stewardship has enhanced operational stability, expanded access to regulated information and established a level playing field for all operators in the sector.
“These are moves that have inevitably unsettled those who profit from opacity and disorder in the industry. We urge the public and all critical stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to disregard these ludicrous accusations. They are the handiwork of nefarious elements determined to distract the Authority from its statutory mandate and frustrate the positive strides enabled by the bold reforms championed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We remain committed to transparency, service delivery and the advancement of Nigeria’s energy security,” the statement said.
