The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is dissociating itself from the failed bid of Indian company, Oil and Natural Gas Corp-Mittal Energy Limited, to acquire oil block.
A statement by NNPC’s group general manager, in charge of Public Affairs, Mr Ohi Alegbe on Tuesday described the alleged non-refund of the signature bonus to the company by NNPC in 2006/2007 as spurious and misleading .
It said the reports linking the corporation with the transaction showed a high level of ignorance on the running of oil and gas industry in Nigeria.
According to the statement, NNPC was not the statutory body saddled with the responsibility of organising bid rounds and could not have received the alleged $25million or any payment from OMEL for the transaction.
It said the deliberate attempt to drag NNPC into the various allegations surrounding the transaction was mischievous and unfortunate.
The statement urged those interested in the story to seek clarification with the relevant agencies responsible for conducting bid rounds and to whom OMEL might have paid the alleged fee.
