THE Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, Limited has described as false and malicious, a Vanguard online publication which accused government officials of aiding oil and gas thieves in stealing the countries recourses.
The allegation was made on Wednesday, August 10, in a publication entitled: “How govt. officials facilitated $1.2bn crude oil, gas theft – source”
Responding to the allegations, NLNG, in a press statement signed by Andy Odeh, general manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, said that the report was false, malicious and deliberate as it is a rehash of fallacious claims reported in an online media channel in January 2022.
According to Odeh, the NLNG had responded to the allegations when it was made early this year, clearly stating the facts, yet Vanguard Online published the same allegations with no prior opportunity offered to the company to react or respond to the assertions.
He added that the rehash in the newspaper is obviously calculated to cast the company and its leadership in bad light, and paint a very incorrect picture of its business and the LNG trade that is at complete variance with the NLNG’s vision as a globally competitive company helping to build a better Nigeria.
The statement added that “NLNG is a responsible corporate citizen operating its business according to strong business principles and ethics in accordance with requirements of relevant Nigerian and global laws and regulations.
It said that right from the commencement of its operations in October 1999, NLNG has never, and does not, engage in “illegal” exportation of LNG or any of its products, nor is NLNG involved in any international cartel as alleged.
“Contrary to the allegation of export of LNG without paperwork, records exist for every single cargo of product loaded by the Company since it commenced operations, together with fully accurate accounts of destinations, quantities loaded and unloaded and related earnings on each cargo, and these are demonstrable.
“For each of the past financial years which are periodically audited, including the periods alluded to in the report, the Shareholders of NLNG, which includes NNPC and three IOCs, never reported that any cargo or product of the Company was lost or unaccounted for. Indeed, the possibility of such happening is beyond comprehension
“It is simply not true that the illegal exportation is still ongoing with the backing of some top officials of government.
“The LNG trade undertaken by the Company is bound by strict protocols and controls, hence not amenable to the kind of illegitimate schemes alleged in the report.
“Deliveries of LNG from its Bonny Terminal complies with all regulatory requirements for the export of its products and are made under various LNG sales contracts to destinations not limited to Europe, but also to the Far East, Greater Middle East, North America and South America, thus ensuring NLNG’s position as a significant competitive global LNG supplier, promoting the Nigerian Brand,” it read.
“The NLNG is therefore demanding an immediate retraction of the false and malicious report in its entirety, in addition to an apology, which must be given as much prominence as the original report,” the statement said.
