THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has disclaimed the allegation that  Maikanti Baru,  its group managing director, had ever stated in any forum that Abba Kyari, the chief of staff to the president, “directed the corporation to keep the sum of N50billion away from the Treasury Single Account, TSA.”

Hence, the NNPC said that the allegation was baseless, and declared it as a clear misrepresentation of the truth.

An online publication made the allegation recently.

“By virtue of the operations of the NNPC, the Corporation had made series of compelling cases to the Presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria to allow certain categories of accounts operate outside the TSA, as they contain co-mingled funds governed by detailed agreements with local and international implications.

“NNPC equally wishes to state that while these necessary approvals sought by the NNPC were graciously given by the Presidency, the chief of staff merely conveyed the notice of these approvals to the corporation,” a statement signed by Ndu Ughamadu, group general manager, Group Public Affairs Division, on Friday, December 15, said.

Besides, it said members of the relevant committee of the National Assembly had requested for copies of such approvals, and that they were duly provided by the corporation.

“To claim that the chief of staff single-handedly approved these exemptions was not only unfair, but is a complete misrepresentation of facts to mislead the general public,” the statement concluded.

– Dec.  15, 2017 @ 14:42 GMT