President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, received the audit report by auditors engaged by the Federal Government to look into the activities and claims of financial misappropriation at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
The Federal Government had in March 2014 hired PriceWaterHouse, a renowned accounting firm to audit the NNPC accounts as $20 billion was allegedly not remitted to the Federation Account by nthe NNPC, according to former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and current Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
The Nigeria Country Senior Partner of PriceWaterHouse, Uyi Akpata,who presented the audit report to President Jonathan said: “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 divulge of the content of the forensic report.
On his part, President Jonathan said that the report was extremely important, considering the level of dust the issue had raised, adding that the media and Nigerians in general will be very interested in the content of the report.
He further directed the Auditor General of the Federation to study the report and make the key details of the report public in the course of the week.
The President 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 speculation is also very high, the figures that I cannot even imagine the country will make are 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. Nigerians are interested.”
“Nigerians don’t need to be scared, this is something that Nigerians are interested in. They (the audit firm) wanted to submit an interim report, but I said no, they must conclude this matter, because it is a forensic audit and there is no room for interim report so they must go back and conclude it and luckily they have concluded it.
“I hope we will not call them back, but where need be, we will call them back if there are issues that are not so clear, but we are happy with what we have done so far.
“I assure you that this is a precious document that the Accountant-General will keep and I will have my own copy, because even if I leave office, maybe when I write my memoir, I will use some part of it.
“But the kind of figure people bandy in the papers look so ridiculous.”
