Lokpobiri asked the former NCDMB boss to show evidence that he directed him (Wabote) to increase NCDMB budget by N30 billion.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has denied asking the former Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, to increase the board’s budget by N30 billion.
Lokpobiri made the rebuttal in a statement on Tuesday signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Nneamaka Okafor, in response to claims made by Wabote in a press release.
Wabote had said, “My problem as ES started with Lokpobiri in December 2023 when he sent one of his undocumented aides within his Ministry to my office in Yenagoa (Blackson) requesting me to increase NCDMB budget by N30 billion for the office of the Minister and I said it had never been done before. I served two Ministers and none of them ever made such request to NCDMB, that we only make provision for the office of the Chairman of the council which covers his travel expenses.
“I said to him that the maximum NCDMB budget has ever gotten to in the past is circa N80 billion for all our activities, adding N30 billion will be too much for his office and I was not going to do it.”
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Wabote said the comments made by Lokpobiri at the Petroleum Club in Lagos recently where he was critical of the NNPCL and NCDMB were unbecoming of a Minister of State.
He said that in August 2023, he led the management of NCDMB to provide full briefing of the board’s activities to Lokpobiri and the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.
According to him, the presentation was followed up with visits by Lokpobiri to the board’s headquarters and other project sites located across the country.
Wabote said that despite all these, Lokpobiri was economical with facts at The Petroleum Club.
He said, “It is FALSE for the HMSPR-Oil to assert that 90% of the NC Intervention Fund managed by BOI is not performing. He was fully briefed that it is because NCDMB is not a bank that made us partner with BOI as a foremost development bank in the country to manage the intervention fund for the oil and gas industry with each loan secured by Bank guarantee.
“As at December 2023, it is on record that the NC intervention funds managed by BOI helped cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the industry and that the fund has yielded millions from the low interest rates with the principal fully secured with BG. The fund was intact when I left office as can be verified from BOI. If the fund is now being declared as ‘wasted’, by the HMSPR-Oil, he should be asked what he has done, or intends to do with the fund, to make such declaration. Industry watchers must not allow the secured funds to be diverted under any pretext.
“Our presentation and briefing notes to the HMSPR-Oil on Brass Fertiliser clearly informed him that the partnership arrangement with NNPC and DSV Engineering is for the establishment of 10,000TPD Methanol plant. It is therefore FALSE that the partnership was for ‘fertiliser factory’.
“Perhaps, Mr. Lokpobiri should have checked with the Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Hon Min of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) and NNPCL for details of the project and the latest developments rather than the false accusations to castigate NCDMB.
“For the records, the initial investments by NNPC and NCDMB are pre-FID equity injection for the estimated $3.2 billion project. The Board’s additional investment is tied to achievement of financial close which has not been achieved by the project promoters.
“The status of the fifteen (15) Board’s partnerships can be grouped into five as follows: One (1) commissioned and operational (Waltersmith); five (5) ready for commissioning (Nedo, BetterGas, Bunorr, Butane (Kaduna), and Duport); four (4) under construction (Azikel, Triansel, Eraskon, and LadolPower; four (4) in search of debt financing (Brass Fertiliser (Methanol), Rungas Prime, Rungas Alfa, and SPL Utorogu); One (1) under divestment considerations (Atlantic Refinery).”
Wabote urged Lokpobiri to visit the construction sites to avail himself of facts on ground.
Responding to the allegations, Lokpobiri asked the former NCDMB boss to show evidence that he directed Wabote to increase NCDMB budget by N30 billion.
The minister said he stood by his comments at The Petroleum Club’s quaterly event in Lagos, adding that Wabote should show Nigerians where Atlantic Refinery that was supposed to be built in the latter’s home town is.
“Our position is that he who alledges must prove same. So if Mr Wabote has proof of such conversation he is challenged to provide same,” the statement by Okafor read.
“Secondly, the Minister has no aide called Blackson. All his aides were duly selected in line with extant laws and have documents to that effect.
“The Minister in his capacity as chairman of the Governing Council stands by his statement at The Petroleum Club’s quaterly event in Lagos, and as journalists I welcome you to visit the places mentioned to verify the allegations for yourself.
“Thirdly, the said Atlantic Refinery was supposed to be built in Mr Wabote’s home town, he should show Nigerians where that refinery is.
“Fourthly, the Brass refinery was also paid for, you are welcomed to also visit the site to verify the facts for yourself.
“Investigations are ongoing and the truth will surely come to light and monies belonging to the generality of Nigerians will be recovered for Nigerians.”
Lokpobiri said the revelations of alleged financial impropriety were first made during an investigative hearing of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Local Content.
The statement said the minister has never been part of any budgeting process of any parastatal under the ministry, adding that Lokpobiri’s office is run with a budget superintended by the permanent secretary and so he could not have asked Wabote to make provisions for the budget of his office.
“The Minister has an impeccable record from his time as Minister of Agric and will continue to stand for the truth.
“The Minister and Indeed the Chairman of the Governing Council of the NCDMB will not abdicate his responsibility to please anyone.
“He has a responsibility to ensure that, that which belongs to Nigerians is judiciously used for Nigerians
“I have had course to read Mr Wabote’s release and every one can see that he is still nursing the wounds of being replaced even after spending seven years at the Board.
“At best, this is a clear case of when you fight corruption, corruption will fight back,” the statement concluded.
