We’ll correct the lapses in the oil sector, says Jonathan

We’ll correct the lapses in the oil sector, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured Nigerians that his government will
correct all the lapses in the oil sector after he received the Forensic Audit report
on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from the international
auditing firm, Water House.
He explained that the report would help to address the lapses in the oil industry
and help the administration to address the misconceptions in the industry.
“Everybody knows that the sector needs to be reformed and I believe that by the
time we go through the petroleum industry bill and make it a law, most of these
lapses would be corrected and the misconceptions will be properly addressed by
the different administrative structures.
“I thank you for what you have done. It will help us, it will help this country to set
things right. We will handle it decisively based on the information that we have.
“Based on the preliminary information, Nigerians need not be so scared about the
kind of stories that we hear.”
Jonathan then directed the Auditor-General of the Federation, Samuel Ukura, to
look into the report and release major findings to the government within the
week.
He also told him to liaise with the firm to clear any grey areas in the report.
President Jonathan thanked the audit firm for turning in the report on time and for
clarifying the issues in the petroleum ministry.
He observed that both chambers of the National Assembly had delved into the
matter in the past; and that with the report, the issue of leakages in the
petroleum industry would be laid to rest.
The president said that the kind of figures mentioned in the newspapers “looked
so ridiculous”, noting that they were figures that he could not imagine the country
earned.
“I am quite pleased that you have taken a forensic audit. I will give it to the
professionals, the auditor-general of the federation, so that within the week we
will get the key findings,” the president said.
He described the report as “a precious document” which could be used as future
reference material to improve operations in the oil industry and for academic
purposes.