President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday formally received
the report of forensic auditors engaged to carry out a
detailed investigation into the activities of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation.
An accounting firm, PriceWaterHouse, was last year hired
to carry out the exercise following an allegation by the
former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido
Sanusi, that $20bn was not remitted to the Federation
Account by the NNPC.
Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano, had written a letter
to Jonathan that $49bn was not remitted to the Federation
Account by the NNPC.
But following the controversy which the letter generated, a
committee was set up to reconcile the account.
Sanusi later recanted and said the unremitted fund was
$12bn. He later again changed the figure to $20bn.
The Nigeria Country Senior Partner of PriceWaterHouse,
Uyi Akpata, on Monday presented the report to the
President on behalf of the firm saying, “It is a privilege for
us to have carried out this exercise on behalf of the
government and I hope that you will find this report useful.”
Akpata did not give any insight into the forensic report.
In accepting the report however, Jonathan noted that the
media and indeed Nigeria would be interested in the
findings.
To this end, he directed the Auditor-General of the
Federation to study the report and make the key highlights
public within the week.
He said, “There has been so much of controversy over this
NNPC and leakages or no leakages. I remember the Senate
has also looked into it, it is also good that you
professionals have also looked into it.
“What appears in the papers and the speculations is also
very high, the figures that I cannot even imagine the
country will make is being bandied in the newspapers.
“So, I am quite pleased that you have undertaken the
forensic audit. Though it is voluminous, I will give it to the
professionals.
“In government work, there are people that have the
statutory responsibilities to handle such assignment which
is the Auditor-General of the Federation.
“So, the Auditor-General will look at it and within the week,
let us have key highlights because the media will want to
know the key findings vis-a-vis the Senate’s findings and
figures being bandied around in the newspapers.”
